UK indie R&B artist Heron explores the most expansive and the most introspective of ideas on his creative and captivating new LP Underground Sky
An artist who’s independent and self-written, produced, performed and mixed sound has earned him a plethora of plaudits and acclaim over the years, Heron is something of an outlier in modern music. Somebody characterised by their authenticity and the raw, unfiltered imperfections of their sound and how human and real it makes it feel. His new album Underground Sky is the latest showcase of his distinctive appeal, and continues to highlight why his style and guile have been him endure and persevere for so long.
The album opens with the poignant ‘What If?’, a track that immediately establishes the reflective and questioning nature of the release. The track is packed full of thoughtful instrumentation and a gentle, restrained appeal that allows the artist’s musings to take centre stage, making for a track that feels both atmospheric and quietly rousing as it progresses.
There is an increased sense of urgency to ‘Read My Mind’, a track that is buoyed on by skittish beats and groove-laden basslines as the artist delves further into shifting perspectives and different corners of humanity, making for a whirlwind of a track that feels as catchy as it does creative.
There is a real rawness to the guitars that open ‘Dead To It’ that doubles down on the human and imperfect side to the album. Once the vocals come into the fore, the artist takes the meta step of writing about his craft, essentially writing a song about writing and song and the pitfalls that come with it. An artist with his experience and level of skill feels as qualified as anybody to do so, and the numbness that he expresses feeling throughout the track feels sobering and affecting as a result.
The bouncy ‘Paradigm’ kicks things back into gear with restless instrumentation and further showcase of Heron’s willingness to experiment with his sound and come up with vibrant and exciting ideas. More of the artist’s other-worldly and existential themes crop up throughout the track, and the soundscape as a whole does a great job of matching it for off-kilter appeal.
The artist delves for a bit more of a stereotypical ballad on ‘Fell In Love Again’, just through the distinctive lens of his unique sound and the distorted shapes that invariably come with his production. It is a track that has some really charming and loved-up lyrics that feel heartfelt and real, while still maintaining the Heron DNA that runs through all of his work and ensures that it feels entirely, unmistakably his own.
There is an upbeat, poppy charm to ‘Something Nothing’, a track packed full of jaunty sounds and vibrant, hooky melodies that feel irresistibly charming and catchy. Once the track kicks in, it has an almost 50s rock and roll feel to it, with all of the energetic appeal and swagger that is associated with it, adding another fun wrinkle to the artist’s sound and yet even more unpredictable and dynamic moments.
‘Tomorrow Is Yesterday’s Today’ is a track that has a stylish, R&B-esque feel to it, with its fun beats and resonating grooves making for a listening experience that feels engrossing and head-bopping, especially in its earworm of a chorus. Everything here from the beats, to the guitars, to a stellar vocal performance make for a track that feels cohesive and smart, and is probably my favourite track from the album as a result.
There is a more laid-back and hypnotic feel to the album closer ‘Transcendental Meditation’, a track that melds slow-paced beats with spaced out synths to create a sound that feels captivating and smooth throughout. The more repetitive and slowed down feel of the track does a great job of enhancing its hypnotic tendencies, and makes for a spellbinding end to the album that enraptures you from the moment it starts.
Underground Sky is an album that from start to finish, feels like the work of an artist who has found a sound that feels distinctively theirs and is fully comfortable in it, pushing and pulling its confines to explore a wide range of ideas while always holding onto the tenets that have made it feel so celebrated. The artist explores themes as broad as the universe and existentialism and as personal as his own thoughts and moments of reflection, and is atmospheric sound sticks with him every step of the way, making for a release that feels immersive and powerful regardless of its scope or subject matter.
