Being a reviewer has its perks. One is getting to hear fantastic new music before anyone else. My ears thanked me profusely when they first heard Are You Awake?, the latest single by London-based alt-pop trio Bamboo Smoke. But you know what? That wasn’t enough. I knew that other people’s ears deserved to experience the same joy. It’s time for another Independent Music News premiere!
Are You Awake? hooked me in from the moment it began with its emotive chords and beautiful, airtight production. A swift and seamless transition into the somewhat funky riff that followed surprised me in the best way possible, and the song continues to do just that throughout its four-minute and three-second duration. Constantly evolving, this is a track that deserves to be played on repeat.
Vocalist Louise Wellby says “the song takes me back to teenage years, that late-night wide awake feeling, wanting to share your secrets through the light of your screen”. This resonated with me on a deep level. There is a time in our formative years when the world seems so full of opportunity, and so many late nights are spent staring at your computer screen, heart full of positivity, mind brimming with the potential of the future. I miss that feeling, and if I could bottle it, I would. Are You Awake? successfully manages to evoke that memory, in the way a smell can incite nostalgia. So what are you waiting for? Check out this brilliant piece of music!