Soulmate is a small collection of love songs, humble and honest. Sam McLeod is releasing a new EP, painting the story of his relationship with his wife over the past 10 years. Wholeheartedly embracing a whimsical concept, this EP poses the question: “Did you ever burn a cd or make a playlist for someone you love?” McLeod’s sound has settled into an indie-rock foundation, with folk-inspired songwriting, all washed in an electronic haze.
A Nashville native, Sam McLeod has been honing his craft, developing his own tenor voice and artistic style. He has been grinding his teeth with Radiohead covers and his 2015 alt-rock EP Introduction to Dreaming. In spending some time in Australia, he gained experience opening for artists, as well as in worship for church events. McLeod’s music is introspective and can oftentimes feel autobiographical; Introduction to Dreaming is a coming-of-age story and Soulmate about the past 10 years of his relationship. The music of Sam McLeod creates a profile of familiarity from his influences: Ethan Gruska, Jeff Buckley, Bon Iver, James Blake; as well as from his relatable narratives.
Soulmate starts with a fitting first track. “Tiny / Little” is a song that was written by McLeod to ask out his current wife. Undoubtedly, this track is the beginning of a relationship and a testament to McLeod’s enduring feelings. This is a snapshot of earnest emotions, canonized on this project. Featuring a simple rhythm and vocal melody, elements build on top of each other into a dense cloud of synths.
The song “iwantu” is a slower ballad with a shimmering, warbling texture. This song has some atmospheric touches with wandering vocals above. This track shows McLeod’s worship music background with an overall ethereal sound and choir-like harmonies. An aching longing for another is displayed in McLeod’s vocals, pulling at the heartstrings.
Lead Single ‘You Me and Everything” from Soulmate
“You Me & Everything” is an upbeat experience. With light, playful melodies that drive the song along through a more pop influence chorus. As a result, the track builds up to a light but energetic sound. McLeod experiments with different elements that add to the texture of this song, creating a resonant sound through which he expresses his feelings.
The track “Baby Love” features a prominent guitar hook that serves as a base for echoing, cascading percussion and vocal effects. McLeod creates a lush jungle of instrumentation on this track, with rumbling drums, in addition to vocals that shimmer and blend with the rest of the track. This is the earnest and wholehearted culmination of Sam McLeod’s expression of love to his wife.
Be sure to check out Sam McLeod’s EP Soulmate, releasing around valentines day. If you liked it, check out some of his previous work, including his previous EP Introduction to Dreaming. Soulmate is a personal record and conveys McLeod’s strong feelings, he is an emotional storyteller and is sure to have more to tell in the future.
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