A.P. Michaels - “Neon Love”

The intro to “Neon Love,” from A.P. Michaels, contains a lo-fi guitar and vocal, reminiscent of the boombox recordings that everyone used to make before we had access to affordable home studio gear. Regardless of sound quality and any imperfections, at this point, it is no secret that this dude can freaking sing. After about forty-five seconds, we are greeted with all the magic of modern recording– the instrumental is clear and the vocals soar, much the same as those jazzy, soulful charmers of yore. The beauty here is that if there is any pitch correction being used, it is completely transparent, leaving all of the emotion intact as you are taken on a journey through lovely vibratos and delicate falsettos, with well placed harmonies to boot. And this dude really breaks the song out of its box, if you are patient enough to wait for that payout at 4:30. It is a very brave endeavor to push a modern single to nearly five and a half minutes, but this one is worth every glorious second.

Here is what A.P. Michaels has to say about his track: “This song was written in a tumultuous period of my life, at the apex of my frustration with romantic pursuits. I was tired of the all too often unrequited, imbalance, or abusive relationships I had found myself in and I needed to use a Blues Rock genre to encapsulate that slow build. It's rhythmic and steady, and makes you think that everything sonically will be okay. But as the track evolves so does the intensity of the production and vocals. I liken love in this track to a neon sign, something that, while beautiful and enticing, leaves the all to eery radiant hum beneath its appearance. It's moody, it's aggressive, it's full of energy.”

We hope you found your catharsis, A.P. And we hope that others can find a hint of their own through “Neon Love.” Hit him up on Insta.

-TM