Never judge a book by its cover and never assume anything about the women adorning the cover of fashion magazines. Nor should you presume anything about the stranger sitting across from you on the subway every week, the song “Victoria’s Secret” subtly infers. Singer/songwriter Rohan Solomon knows how to conveys a complex story of looking beyond the surface. His pressing guitar and vocals (that really need no instrumentation) in his current release boasts “Victoria’s Secret” to being one of 2020’s indie music’s best.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/rohansolomonmusic/
Solomon is known in his home city of New Delhi as being the former alternative rock band, Cyanide. Now based in New York City, Solomon formed a new band called By Chance. The trio released three singles in 2019: “Blue Sky”, “Hard To Breathe” and “Time”. In 2020, he’s also released the up-tempo pop track, “Keep Holding On”.
“Victoria’s Secret” begins with a modest acoustic guitar, filling into an electric guitar, much like a stream shooting off from a river basin. The music bed meanders along, picking up percussion and the rhythmic bass. His canvas is already a mix between rock and pop rock, before a stirring string orchestration bolsters the chorus. She steps out into a world of many dreams, Solomon sings, his voice deep, but not so baritone he distracts. His voice is charming, with a natural sensitivity. For some reason, I didn’t want him to belt out the chorus – the fact that he didn’t made this song even more enthralling. He’s like an observer, a fly on the wall, and while he’s singing of this woman’s secret, he’s also a narrator and doesn’t want to be in the forefront. She’s the star of the song. His voice, to be clear, is wonderful.
She’s living in a circle that won’t let her break free, and all that she wants she says, I just want to be me, Solomon sings. This thoughtful coda unspooled a world of imagination in just one listen. That so-called rat race, the feeling of doing the same thing over-and-over, or drowning in a whirlpool is a universal feeling. Spinning and the world not feeling like it’s slowing down, too is a thought that came to mind. Solomon’s words are riveting and zero-in on anxieties, and a world of uncertainties. He finds a way to champion this character, because we’re all this character. We’re all trying to be ourselves. To create an outlandish, extra bells and whistles on this song would be a travesty, and Solomon is most successful because he keeps it intimate. I know this person, I know someone like her, I kept thinking to myself while listening to Solomon’s song.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Victorias-Secret/dp/B088C1JXW7
“Victoria’s Secret” is an immersive listening experience. It’s one of those songs to not have in the background; it’s a song that begs to be paid attention too. If “Victoria’s Secret” is any indication of Solomon’s talent for collecting stories, he’s certainly wise enough to share chapters with music fans. Songs like this are what makes indie musicians so cherished.
Troy Johnston
The music of Rohan Solomon has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com