Single Review: "Letting Go" (2021) by Ian Matthew
The single by Ian Matthew, ''Letting Go'' is a wonderful example of how lyrics, drums and the use of guitar can produce a powerful ambience and the way Matthew conveys emotions of loss is admirable. Even the single cover is a great substitute for the single release because it resembles the themes of burning and smoke present in the song.
Ian Matthew's new single is fresh out of the oven and it is just for us looking for emotion-driven songs to start the new year. Even from the first few seconds, it is easy to understand how well produced this track is with the guitar kicking in. It is the intense reverb that pulls us into this daze of being in an empty room all on our own, much like the song suggests with the lyrics "And there’s nowhere to go but my own mind". From the start, Matthew shows a great example of how he forms ambience with his instruments and then puts further detail to the piece with his words and attracts the audience.
After the guitar intro, Matthew comes in with his powerful voice and with his lyrics so simple yet so relatable. From the melancholic aura created from the start, it is only expected to have parallel lyrics and Matthew does deliver. "But No don’t want you to know, I'm letting go" Here, the person of the song speaks directly to someone, perhaps a lover in their moment of solitude. They want to forget, they want to let go which is the main theme of this song. "As the room fill with smoke" the person also mentions how they try to let go by burning their memories down but that only results in smoke coming up in their lonely room. This is powerful because it shows how there is not much the person of the song can do without hurting themselves.
"And the sunshine, It don’t come out anymore" for the person in the song, life is bland and it isn't happy for them. As people of quarantine and loneliness ourselves, it is easy to feel close to the song. It is almost welcoming for those of us going through melancholic days.
Besides the lyrics, the drum beats coming and going every now and then compliment greatly. They act as sad heartbeats to this blue feeling present in the song. In that sense, the song is very much alive. Overall, Ian Matthew creates a live yet downcast melody that will be a remedy for all of us going through a moment of letting go.
Click here to give it a listen on Spotify. Follow Ian Matthew on Instagram: @ianupnorth