Andy Kong - “supernova”
We’ve been fans of Andy Kong ever since we Shazamed “Falling Outside” as it played during an episode of abc’s The Rookie. Here we are, a few months later, and he has sent us his latest single, “supernova,” an ethereally mesmerizing number, filled to its brim with vibe, ear candy, and atmosphere.
Kong wastes absolutely no time with this one and upon hearing the very first notes, listeners will get an earful of some of the most deliciously cinematic background vocals known to man. The melody proceeds to be hammered out by some moody guitar, setting us up for a rather dreamlike sonic experience. Moments later, he begins delivering lyrics as though they are medicine to soothe our wounded hearts. He claims that he wrote “supernova” to help him through a difficult time, so it makes perfect sense that he’s now paying it forward.
If you’ve never before heard the man sing, you are in for a fantastic treat. Kong has a vocal that dips its toes into the style of Ray LaMontagne, while maintaining balance on the shores of originality. The percussion utilized here is distinctly lo-fi, allowing the deep bass to flow freely as Kong continues his serenade. A subdued harmony arrives on the refrain and it’s a definite highlight, but we simply cannot get enough of these falsetto-infused “ooh” vocals– and as strong as the chorus is, for us, it’s these “ooh’s” that we will be humming for the rest of the day.
Pulling no punches, a ghostly and distorted guitar solo is thrown into the mix– nothing too over the top, but very tastefully performed and pushing against the boundaries of the folk genre. For the finale, however, the song bursts into a full-fledged arena rocker, with the drums hitting harder and the guitar digging deeper, as well as a dose of those sweet freaking background vocals to which we are now very seriously addicted. You need to press that play button, people.
-HD