ONUR blew me away 2 years ago with a live rendition of his original song Love Aquamarine and then disappeared. Nothing. Radio silence. The void. Well, the void was clearly only for my ears because the artist’s schedule was itself quite full: he indeed took the time to nurture his talent and decide to teach himself how to produce. Sometimes, if you want it done right, you’ve got to do it yourself! And this only gives me another reason to love the 22-year-old British singer/songwriter/producer/*gasp for air*/multi-instrumentalist.
Today, the wait is over: I’m very excited to share with you ONUR’s debut single Beamin’. Take Prince‘s falsetto (he’s saving this for the next tracks though so you’ll have to take my word for it), Jack Garratt‘s bassy beats and Jamie Woon‘s groove and way with words and you get this lo-fi 2018 Michael Jackson. “I had just broken up from an intensely long and serious relationship. The song is about moving on or at least, trying to, whilst the instrumental was also another reflection of how I was feeling. Yet, it all somehow felt very true to my sense of self at the time. Very lo-fi, very cranky, very out of line with what was deemed as acceptable and right”, explains the musician. ONUR made the deliberate choice to offer a muffled and complex soundscape full of layers and textures and this is exactly what makes the single so special. It’s bold, it’s sexy, it’s musky, it’s rough, it’s REAL.
Beamin’ is the first of a collection of singles that ONUR will unveil one by one every month and leading up to an EP planned to be showcased at the beginning of next year. I’ve already got the chance to hear the next one and trust me, it should take you straight to heaven!
