“Her voice is deep and rich, reminding me a little of classic jazz voices like Nina Simone. Her voice fits comfortably on this track, and I’ve told her before about how she’d be great over a drum n bass track at some point… but for now this is just a teaser..”
This is Iris Harley’s new single and it’s her first release of the year.
Powerhouse vocals?
Yes.
Double bass?
Funky drums?
Lead guitar to give the vocals a counter point?
Oh yes.
Add to this some synth strings and then the song’s classiness is taken up another level!
The production on this is simple yet spot on, putting Iris’s vocals at the centre of everything, and what vocals!
Her voice is deep and rich, reminding me a little of classic jazz voices like Nina Simone. Her voice fits comfortably on this track, and I’ve told her before about how she’d be great over a drum n bass track at some point… but for now this is just a teaser..
A couple of notes I’d like to make on the overall song that I like…
The combination of delay and reverb on the vocals is perfect – it sounds like she was recorded in the 50s with a modern twist.
Which brings me to the beat, the rhythm is hypnotic, combining hip hop with a snare fill that could be taken from a dub vibe. I’m not sure whether it’s a cymbal swell or gong but it appears at the beginning and at intervals in the song and just to finish off you have a choir sound.
Brilliant!
Iris has said of the track:
“Life can be very difficult to navigate, especially with curve balls which can spin out of control. When you embrace the sunshine and rain, you discover love, balance and harmony.”
‘Last Breath’ was written by Iris Harley who also appears on all vocals on the track. She was accompanied byGregor ‘G-Man’ McPhie on Guitar and virtual band. The track is being released on Iris’s own Sing with Soul Records.
LISTEN TO ‘LAST BREATH’ BY IRIS HARLEY HERE NOW
Words by Del Osei-Owusu
THE SONGBIRD 