The modern world is full of people advocating that we should be genuine and honest, we should be authentic, be ourselves, so much so that such calls have lost all their meaning, just more sloganeering in a world of soundbites and shouts! But when Amy Jay explores such an approach on her latest single, “Back to What’s Natural,” it more than rings with believability.
Taken from her soon-to-follow album, Mnemonics, this is just one of a collection of songs that prompt us “to face fear and trust your instinct, to accept change, and to have compassion for yourself.” But what is different here is that she is not just someone who thinks they know best for others, a voice from the crowd hypocritically telling us what to do. This is the sound of someone’s personal mantra, and we almost feel as if we are listening in on their intimate thoughts, reading a personal sonic diary.
But that is what makes it so powerful, she isn’t asking us to do the same, but instead leading by example. And so, what is actually a personal process accidentally becomes a powerful connection with the listener, but one that is never forced home and that we might even feel slightly guilty about stumbling across.
Blending raw indie guitars and a steady beat, she proceeds to drench that simple, but not simplistic, sound with gorgeous vocal textures and shimmering effects. It’s a great song, one that works its magic by doing nothing more than saying, “Hey, here are a few things I’ve been trying out, take it or leave it.”
The power of lyrical understatement driven home on a wave of spacious sonics. Perfect.
