Review of Independent Media

I have never written critically about a piece of media in my life as I often feel my opinion may not be worthwhile but here goes!

I have chosen a song I only just heard yesterday but that resonated with me immediately. Partly because of the breathtakingly unique vocals of the artist and equally as a result of the catchy feel to the melody. This song is called ‘I Am Not an End’ and is performed by a young artist from Sydney called Montaigne. Montaigne gained prominence via triple J unearthed in 2012 where her song ‘anyone but me’ featured as one of the finalists in the competition. At the time she was only in year 10 at high school and rather than pursuing a career in music immediately after this initial accolade decided to complete her secondary studies.

Her first full commercial offering to many who had waited patiently since 2012 has just been released and is meeting with critical acclaim from most music bloggers and fans alike. Her unique sounding voice which features an amazing range and wide tonal variety is key to her burgeoning following but there is more to her it seems than this alone.

The song has a hearty melody that may just haunt your mind for what so far it seems to me an indeterminable time! But back to her vocals; from soft and breathless to undeniably powerful and pitch perfect as she explores lyrically some insecurities coupled with hope and conviction. The vocals are syncopated brilliantly dancing abreast the accompanying chordal support featuring keyboards, bass, strings and the other vocal harmonies. The emotion that the lyrics bring to this song are clearly evident in Montaigne’s voice and this is one of the most endearing facets to this track.

The production levels are good with crisp percussion and ethereal melodic support from the keyboards, acoustic guitar and strings. Personally I would have liked a little more emphasis on the lower frequencies due to the overall tone of Montaigne’s vocals but this is indeed a minor point and only noticeable when wearing headphones. Listening through good quality speakers renders this point moot!

Strangely the general feel of this song is one of angst but is also inspiring and victorious in a fashion. I have also included below a live version of this song without the production of the full band to showcase the undeniable power and versatility of Montaigne’s vocals and the passion of her delivery which I am excited to hear more of in the future!