Lawson Hull - “Strange”

Photo by Ashley Cooper

We have been fans of Australia’s Lawson Hull ever since we first discovered his folksy stylings in “Canada 17.” From there, he went on to wow us with his gentle vocal work within a collaboration with Laura Lucas, entitled “I Imagine You Are Happy.” And today, he once again appears on the blog with a heartfelt tune about searching for personal growth while also fearing failure: “Strange.”

This track is everything we love about the genre of indie folk– from the rawness of the lightly strummed acoustic guitar to the delicate, double-tracked vocals, listeners will be immediately drawn in by Hull’s remarkable craft. And though the sound remains reasonably stripped-back for the first minute or so, the arrival of the graceful vocal harmonies foreshadow quite a magnificent elevation in the production. It is not long before your ears are joined by a bit of bass and some ghostly lead guitar on the first chorus.

Beginning with the second verse, Hull has taken the liberty of utilizing a steady kick drum, which confidently moves “Strange” forward. The ear candy provided by the reverberated electric guitar builds an ethereal atmosphere that perfectly houses the lyrical delivery and it is at this point where we became completely enamored with the song. For the second chorus, the rhythm lifts from the kick drum to a full-fledged drum beat, resulting in a marvelous, natural crescendo, one of our favorite aspects of any folk tune.

The final third of “Strange” is the delicious epitome of a dynamic shift, as the steady building of sounds unearths a refrain that is quite ear-catching. And this will likely be the moment when you decide to add the track to all of your favorite playlists. When it feels like you might be drowning in an endless sea of new music, Hull’s voice is a rejuvenating, folksy breath of fresh air.

-HD