Tommy Ashby - “Light Speed”
Photo by Andy Little
Scottish singer-songwriter Tommy Ashby returns to us with “Light Speed,” the first release since his phenomenal debut LP, Lamplighter. This is not Ashby’s first appearance on our site– in fact, we must have featured every single track from his debut album. In any case, we are more than pleased that he is back with “Light Speed,” a song that inspires hope amidst the often silent dread of loneliness and isolation.
Some intricate and exquisite finger-plucked acoustic guitar sets the scene here, making way for a serene and intimate listening experience. From there, the delicate notes of a piano fall into place above the subdued pulse of a kick drum, which eventually expands into eighth notes on the rim. Ashby has always had a knack for crafting prolific soundscapes, and “Light Speed” is absolutely no exception– by the time the song ebbs and flows to its conclusion, the arrangement has been filled to its brim with a cornucopia of elements.
Of course, the entire reason we initially fell in love with Ashby’s sound is his astounding vocal prowess. Track after track, his voice is truly a profound gift to the ears of all music lovers. With “Light Speed,” fans of cinematic folk will be delighted to hear that he brings more of the same to the table, with a performance that spans his range, including the addition of glorious layers of auxiliary vocals in all the right places. After featuring his music more than ten times, we have never detected a single trace of autotune, which is becoming more and more rare these days– a true testament to his gift.
About “Light Speed,” Ashby offers that it “describes a person quietly experiencing loneliness and isolation. It’s not often obvious when friends are suffering with their mental health. Everyone has spent their lives learning how to hide it and I’m really glad that discussing it has become less of a taboo. The character in the song is experiencing the suffocating nature of worry and the overwhelming desire to leave it behind.”
We trust that you will enjoy “Light Speed” as much as we do, and we hope that the track is indicative that more new tunes from Ashby are on the horizon. The song is available everywhere today via Dance to the Radio.
Connect with Tommy Ashby: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify
Check out more of Ashby’s music: “Not That Far To Go” “Lifeline” “When Love Goes Dark” “Running” “My Old Man” “Weigh Me Down” “Moonflowers (Binaural Acoustic Version)” “Comeback Kid (Binaural Acoustic Version)”
-HD