Composer and recording artist C Duncan is the latest addition to the independent Brighton-based label FatCat Records. A string of positive reviews and music featured on the BBC have brought the young Glaswegian to the fore in recent times.
For, a debut single, was actually written more than two years ago. That said, it could have been written twenty years ago, or even twenty years in the future, such is its immutable nature. The structure is simple. A slow-paced, clapping rhythm echoes similarities to Paul Giovanni’s Willows Song. A hypnotic primary vocal enkindles warmth and a reverberant backing vocal accompaniment creates distance. A weaving stringed-loop is methodical and uncomplicated. Equally effortless is the cover of the sing le – a subtle street view rendered in color pencil emblazoned with Charles Rennie Mackintosh-esque text. Beige is the predominant color here and mirrors the pace and tone of the music.
There is an aural metronomy and purity to Duncan’s sound – a measuring of time that harbours all the elements of a song without overcomplicating matters. Equally compelling is his ability to transport the audience to another setting entirely. In the depths of mid-winter For rewinds the listener back to a breezy summer afternoon and heralds the entrance of a bright singer songwriter who fosters an otherworldly blend of folk and choral structure to simple effect.
- Andrew Kidd
C Duncan - For is out via FatCat Records and is available to download for free here.
