I just love it when an artist is less a persona and a more real person whose work exudes such transparency that it feels like they speak directly to you. One of those rare finds is Alwyn Morrison; a singer-songwriter whose roots weave with the pulse of New York City. Morrison's journey to artistry is as layered and multifaceted as the very city he calls home. Born to the sound of music, Morrison first found himself in music as a xylophone player with his school orchestra. His younger years were woven with melody and rhythm, but it was only when life dealt him some curveballs that Morrison started to transform his struggles into song.
Before coming onto the scene, Morrison was a music journalist, an experience that honed his ear for storytelling. He has interviewed such visionaries as Esperanza Spalding and Jack Antonoff, but as he repeatedly points out, it was going through his heartbreaks and triumphs that made him go from being an observer to being a creator. Partnering with producer Michael Carey (Gwen Stefani, Robbie Williams) and composer Michael Kooman (Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald), Morrison has created a sound that melds basic, unfiltered emotion with a mature pop-rock sensibility. Drawing its influences from a host of disparate sources, including The Cranberries, Sia, and The Cars, his music not only pays homage to his idols but also carves out its space entirely.
Morrison's debut single, “The City,” is an experience. Right from the open hits of its snappy, buzzing drums to the reverb-soaked guitar riff, this song feels alive, pulsing and energizing with the same kinetic energy that defines the urban landscapes it wants to hopscotch through. Morrison walks the incredible line between nostalgia and disillusionment to narrate the delicate two-step dance of longing and loss that torments anyone who’s ever loved a place that doesn’t love them back.
“The City” opens with an arresting arrangement layered with a clean, arpeggiated guitar. The verses build slowly, with cold drum fills and modest synth pads creeping in, inducing great anticipation. Upon the onset of the chorus, the track bursts into an electric soundscape filled with bittersweet lushness. Morrison's instrumentation is very strikingly layered. The guitars shimmer and swell like sunlight bouncing off skyscraper windows, while the rhythm section roots the tune with an unwavering, meditative pulse.
It's the little cadence in "The City" that makes it so hauntingly, incredibly beautiful. The melody quickly hooks onto you, almost leaving a bittersweet aftertaste with unpredictable harmonic shifts. "The City" hit me where I wasn't ready for it; a bit of a half-focused listening upon first hearing, and then the chorus stopped me in my tracks. A cinematic effect is in play; it drags you along tucked between Morrison and the crowd on the streets, driving you into sensation and confusion. Not merely a song about New York, but a song about all that any city has ever offered us. Every modicum of longing, every dream ever chased, and every count of times we have wondered whether it was worth chasing.
If you ask me, Alwyn Morrison is an artist from whom we're going to hear a lot more. His talents are a rare gift, and "The City" is just the beginning. So, do yourself a favor: stream this song right away on streaming sites like Spotify and more.