It’s about to be a busy year for British troubadour Ian Roland. In fact, the past few months have seen him kickstart a series of heartwarming, tender releases, nuggets of alt-folk, rock-leaning gems that fully showcase the nuanced artistry behind the project. As the reader might recall, we wrote about Roland’s ‘20 Breaths of Love per Minute’ back in November, celebrating it as “a romantic, elegant piece steeped in malleable melodies and bright flair.” Well, such lovable features appear to have become a sort of trademark for the English songwriter.
‘Virtually Free’ continues largely in the same vein, and it’s pretty clear that all of Ian’s current musical output belongs to the same artistic phase, so to speak. Nostalgic, yet hopeful and meaningful, the new single moves with feathery elegance and evocative restraint, with gentle acoustic guitars providing a fitting counterpoint to Roland’s brooding, welcoming vocals. This is a record that looks upward, a positively melancholic piece, taking a particular perspective on reality, illusion, and the importance of human connection as a whole.
We suspect ‘Virtually Free’ to be a timely, observant song, one that deeply ties to the complexity and the post-truth character of the modern world. As Roland explains: “It touches upon what might be real, what might be fake, and definitions of freedom in between. At its heart is the importance of human connection, community and ultimately love.” As usual, the track has been recorded at Brighton Road Recording Studios by Jake Skinner.
Recommended! Discover ‘Virtually Free’ now: