And the prize for best self-produced artist goes to: Daniel Bayot with his latest single, “Like You Love Me.”
Damn…it’s been a while since the Tonemamas heard such expert balancing of textures, harmonies and arrangement. After listening to the classically trained Hawaiian-born, LA-based artist we couldn’t help but wonder…maybe we should have practiced our classical piano scales more often?
This ultra-sharp and fresh pop ballad knows what our ears want and gives it to us with perfect restraint. Everything is tightly controlled, precisely timed and just when we relax into one element, we’re immediately dropped into another.
And can we get a “what-what” for that pre-chorus! That gorgeous melody arch over a pulsing string texture with harmonies so warm we start blushing…but not for long, because Bayot promptly switches it up with a minimalist chorus accompanied by super-tight harmonies. The control here is outstanding and the playing with textures, remarkable.
“Will you touch me like you love me,” Bayot sings in the stripped chorus with an driving urgency.
Well, we don’t want any trouble with human resources so we’ll be swapping the touching for listening – and if we listen like we love him that will be passionately, repeatedly and with sheer enthusiasm.
Best listened to while: in an empty room so that you can do what your body does naturally – dance and dance some more Tonemiller!
Listen for this moment: 00:22 that pre-chorus, that pre-chorus, THAT PRE-CHORUS!