Orla Gartland has released a new single, “Heavy”, to be included on upcoming EP Freckle.
This track sees Gartland really delve into using piano as a base for melody. The years have seen Gartland drift from her acoustic guitar roots into electric and more layered rock sounds, but stripping her sound back to piano is reminiscent of simple yet soulful tracks like “Empty Man”.
The rolling rhythm in verses accentuates lyrics on everyday mundanity. Such simplicity and clarity in “I’ll never see that dog again” reveals a mourning for a past life – although not necessary one with the partner who Gartland has been “trying to […] put […] in another category”.
Strings, composed by dodie, kick in for emotional effect following the first chorus and moving into the second verse. The layering of strings and piano, indeed present in dodie’s “If I’m Being Honest”, elevate their impact in the song’s outro, in which Gartland desperately asks, “do you think about it too?”.
This is Gartland’s strongest track lyrically yet, and the mixing of instruments shows a bravery in returning to pop with a folk influence.
The lyric video can be found here
Listen/ download here
Frances Wilde 