Hazlett - “Slow Running”
We’ve featured Hazlett so many times that we might as well dedicate a wing to him. But when it comes to indie folk craftsmanship, the man can simply do no wrong. It is this very reason that he returns to our blog today, upon the release of his latest single, “Slow Running.”
Pressing play invites you into the wonderfully stripped-back world that Hazlett has created, letting the warm sounds of an acoustic guitar righteously permeate the sonic place. The production has just the right amount of lo-fi to lead you to believe that he is sitting adjacent to you, strumming through the chord progression as you ease yourself into another weekend.
For those of you living beneath the proverbial rock, expect to be rendered completely speechless once the vocal arrives. We tend to go on and on about it whenever we churn out some paragraphs about his music, but Hazlett’s voice beholds a magic that deserves a genre all to itself. And with “Slow Running,” listeners will marvel at the juxtaposition between the raw guitar and the more polished, ethereal vocal performance.
Ear candy comes in the form of some wide, reverberating sounds of slide guitar and the addition of some angelic strings. Although we could have lived with just the acoustic guitar and vocal, these supplemental elements bring a great deal of ambient character to the production, adding substantial depth to its cinematic vibe. The soft keys of a piano have also found their place here; however, it will always be Hazlett’s vocal that keeps us coming back for multiple listens.
About “Slow Running,” Hazlett adds: “When the going’s good and all is well it usually means there’s a strange little thought that wonders how long is it going to last. Maybe we’ve all grown too cynical, thinking the good times are never going to last or we’ve stumbled into a strange emotional evolution. Before anything has a chance to hurt us we’ve already prepared for the ghost. Bunkered down in our thoughts and vivid imaginations of what might come and what might not ever be.”
“Slow Running” arrives ahead of Hazlett’s forthcoming EP, Goodbye to the Valley Low, due for release on December 8th via Nettwerk.
-HD