Not all musicians can tell a story without words. SARK does it easily on this single, and after you hit play, you'll know why people are listening. The piano begins softly. Almost cautiously. It's like the person standing at the door, but not quite sure they're ready to go through it. There’s something very human in the way the music slowly opens up. It feels careful and uncertain at first, then gradually more confident as the emotions underneath begin revealing themselves.
The guitar comes in and it's all different. Not in a dramatic way, but with increasing intent. SARK is a blend of Joe Satriani and Myrone's melodic approach, but it’s entirely its own. The phrasing is relaxed. It gets its moments of emotion, it doesn't seek them out.
It's the restraint exhibited throughout that really impresses here. SARK decided to use live drums, real piano, bass guitar and stepping away from the electronic palette he usually works with . That choice matters. It adds a warmth and a physicality to the track that is hard to get with electronic production. You can feel the room in it. The track is arranged in a real manner. The quiet moments are paired with more energetic moments and the silences are well utilized. There is no padding or "accidental". Creating that type of compositional care takes time and it shows.
SARK has called it a soundtrack for the space between who you were, and who you're becoming. That's a fair and accurate way to frame it, and it works. The music evokes a certain transition. The murky middle ground, where most of us really reside, not the clean resolution. It's a grown-up and self-assured piece of work. Detroit has a rich history of great music spanning several decades. SARK is contributing something special to that legacy.
