The May Project - Single Review: The Last Waltz of Summer
On the 2nd of February, Auckland based dream pop act The May Project launched their new single The Last Waltz of Summer, a swirling, dreamy track that says goodbye to past journeys and hello to new beginnings.
The May Project is the work of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Katie Brown. Recording and mixing her work in her home studio, Brown’s sound is a combination of her ethereal vocals, blended with percussive, cinematic synths and beats. Brown delves into the visual elements of her music by tying in her musical projects with her clothing label Etta Every. The Last Waltz of Summer is accompanied by Brown’s latest collection.
The track opens with a simple, lullaby like piano riff, which becomes the glue that holds the beautifully layered instrumentation together. Brown’s breathy yet pure vocals ease the listener in, as the track gradually builds with a simple yet effective backing of synths. Brown’s background in choral and classical music is evident in her hair-raising harmonies. Atmospheric and uplifting, the track is simple in its form with the main hook repeating several times, each time with different layers of instrumentation being added. Concluding with Brown's fairy like vocals layered upon each other, the result is a full, cinematic track which would be the perfect addition to the ending of an uplifting film, or a melancholic one at that.
Overall, Brown has created a hopeful, soothing cinematic experience with The Last Waltz of Summer. The third single released from her upcoming sophomore album; we can expect more cinematic masterpieces from The May Project.
About The May Project
Drawing comparison to the likes of Bjork, the Cocteau Twins and Massive Attack since the early days of The May Project’s inception in 2014, Katie has developed a signature sound consisting of delicate, layered vocals with intricate harmonies (inspired by her background in choral and classical music) floating on a bed of layered, percussive and textural synths, guitars and beats. The resulting music is both minimal and maximal: a juxtaposition informed by the pure, ethereal nature of Katie’s voice and the gritty, grounding beats and synths she employs as a contrast.
The first official May Project release, Hshsh, which was a collaboration between Katie and Benjamin Bartlett of Vanguard One (who later produced and mixed The May Project's debut album, 2018's Elpis), accompanied the launch of Katie’s designer clothing label, Etta Every, in February 2014.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for The May Project
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