PRTLND – Original Grace

If you’re one of those music enthusiasts who love discovering new music daily or weekly, you probably know how it can seem like the contemporary music scene stagnates for years, with all those artists and bands delivering the same old, repetitive, predictable, and bland songs. Although every release shines with exceptional musicianship and sound quality that meet all production trends, there’s always an impression that those songs miss something that could elevate them to an entirely new level. It’s due to the fact that many music outlets chase the sound of all those renowned greats, the artists who recorded excellent music decades ago, without even remotely thinking of delivering something that will make them standout artists. But if you put in the effort and take a deep dive into the depths of streaming platforms, you’ll notice there are still singer-songwriters willing to break all the rules, offering music that is emotionally and sonically resonant. PRTLND, a solo project of Dublin-based singer-songwriter Mathieu, is one of those music outlest who still pay a lot of attention to songwriting, composing, arranging, producing, bringing everything you ever needed from honest, emotional, soulful indie rock music. With “Original Grace,” he brings back the nineties sound while still infusing the contemporary production, making this marvelous composition suitable not only for longtime indie fans but also for anyone who appreciates catchy, memorable, engaging, anthemic music. Now, perhaps indie rock reigns supreme here, as PRTLND infused all the fundamental elements of this genre within each segment, but do not be surprised if you stumble upon some of the finest properties borrowed from alternative, soft rock, power pop, and other similar styles. The best part about all these additional sonic ingredients is how they act as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details that unquestionably uplift this song to an entirely new level, while the artist remains loyal to the primary sonic direction. Therefore, this combination of additional styles, various approaches, and techniques resulted in a captivating composition that will immediately resonate with anyone who appreciates thoughtful songwriting and outstanding musicianship.

As soon as you press play, you’ll notice that Mathieu’s soulful, passionate, sincere, confident, and powerful vocal performance serves as a centerpiece, elevating every guitar riff, bassline, and beat to an entirely new level, commanding attention, and guiding listeners on an epic journey through the expansive sonic universe. His voice seems calm, soothing, relaxing, offering melody and harmony to each segment, but it also seamlessly balances low, mid, and high notes with such precision and finesse, emphasizing everything he intended to achieve with this composition. Besides decorating all those segments and orchestrations, his voice contributes more than necessary emotional depth and complexity over an already intricate song structure. Mathieu also included the additional vocal layers for more depth, detail, and nearly anthemic vibes. It’s an element that definitely forces you to sing-along beside all those marvelous orchestrations. In the meantime, the thoughtfully, wisely, tastefully assembled interplay between guitars and synths plays a significant role in shaping the mesmerizing backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. The guitars shine with the mixture of jangly, angular chord progressions and more heavily distorted riffs, while the synths bring those catchy, memorable, ethereal themes, melodies, harmonies, sequences, and pads. It’s nearly mindblowing how all those layers articulate together without overwhelming each other, proving that PRTLND thought about everything while writing, composing, arranging, and producing this beautiful song. While most of the artists overlook the importance of the rhythm section, PRTLND pays attention to this importan detail immensely. You’ll notice how beneath all those lush guitar and synth works, the bass guitar pulsates and rumbles, offering more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth while simultaneously binding mentioned instruments with rhythmic patterns. These deep, dense, heavy low ends contribute groove and detail without ever overwhelming the remainder of the orchestrations. The excellent drumming performance, based upon steady, well-accentuated, cleverly assembled, and flawlessly performed beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics, keep everything in line while dictating groove and pace. PRTLND thought about everything while writing and composing this marvelous song, making it an exceptional listening experience worth repeating over and over again.

While many contemporaries aim for that bland, repetitive, predictable sound, PRTLND aims for a fresh, unique, innovative sonic experience that tackles all the senses. With “Original Grace,” he not only showcases the new face of indie rock music but also forces listeners to engage in the entire process, take a deep dive into all the soundscapes, and solely enjoy each vocal, sonic, and rhyhtmic maneuver. It’s like a pleasant voyage through the expansive sonic universe where each melody, harmony, and beat wraps around your listening apparatus and refuses to let go long after this song ends. “Original Grace” is an indie masterpiece, crafted by one of the finest contemporary singer-songwriters, and you should immediately place it on your music radar. Do not miss it!