Grandly melodic and powered by poetic lyricisms that warm up on the song all on their own – even without the assistance of the firm but flexible rhythm of the percussion – there’s no need for debate; “Still Believe” is the best song Animal Sun have released since first hitting the scene just last year. In the opening bars of the track, a fragmented instrumentation finds elegance in the eclecticism of its own construction, and as we press on it becomes clear just how much chemistry this band has without having to invite any external components into their sound. This is a statement of self if I’ve heard one in 2020, and for me, it’s a point of evolution in the career of this phenomenally talented group of musicians.
WEBSITE: https://www.animalsunofficial.net/
Lyrically speaking, “Still Believe” is a blunt ballad that doesn’t hide its feelings behind any of the typically synthesized sonic barriers some artists would structure an entire album around, but this isn’t to say that its sole charm lies within the poetic lashings it unfurls. There’s a lot to understand about the narrative in this song in simply breaking down the tempo with which the verses are sewn together, and although there isn’t any deliberate pendulousness from the drums, there’s definitely a hesitation to step into the next frame of the song that immediately sent chills down my back the first time I listened to this single. Contrast can do a lot in any composition, and in this piece it essentially defines the moodiness of the melody before we even know it’s there.
https://soundcloud.com/animal-sun/still-believe
On the instrumental front, Animal Sun layer a beautiful melodic ribbonry atop a black and white pop concept in this song, and the lack of conceptualism is – as surprisingly as it might be to hear – refreshing to come across in this era of hyper-experimentation. “Still Believe” actually has all the trappings of something you might here on the modern FM dial sans bones conceived with commerciality in mind, and when married to the substance of the storytelling and the skillset of those putting it into action for us here, this track begins to feel like a declaration of war directed towards a dangerously swelling status quo within the pop genre today.
Withdrawing into the silence as swiftly as it came sweeping through the air around us, “Still Believe” crosses the finish line leaving me with as many new questions about Animal Sun as I’ve got answers as to what their next release may or may not sound like, and in terms of creative prowess, I personally would say that they raise the bar for both themselves as the scene that spawned their initial success in this release. They might not have a proper studio album under the belt at the moment, but with the kind of focus that they’re bringing into the equation in this most recent offering, I would have to assume that we’re going to be seeing something a little more ambitious out of their camp in the near future.
Troy Johnston