We have been following JesseMelancholy for a while now, and we are always impressed by his ability to pack songs with immense emotional energy and furious poignancy. We don’t want to use the word emo, but in fact, that’s how the listening experience often unfolds. Hailing from Australia, the young creative has been enjoying a busy year so far, with alt-pop single ‘kiss the sky’ bringing us a slightly refined, more relatable version of JesseMelancholy’s aural euphoria.
Two headline shows and an appearance at the NSS Academy Stage at WOMADelaide later, JesseMelancholy appear ready to unveil new music. ‘sanctuary’ is the record in question, and it doesn’t disappoint. Keeping up the project’s foray into alt-pop territories, the track does a good job of blending intimate, lyrically-rich sections with fuzzy, all-out choruses. The production reminds us of George Clanton, among others, a sign that ‘sanctuary’ is deeply contemporary and relatable.
Evoking a great deal of nostalgia and coming-of-age storytelling, the song is also quite personal to JesseMelancholy. As he explains: “It reflects on longing for change while being stuck in the moment, torn between love and dissatisfaction.” Written on the back of a spiralling relationship, ‘sanctuary’ searches for a fragment of hope and stability in a chaotic, dense reality.
Recommended! Discover ‘sanctuary’ on Spotify:
