UK-based singer-songwriter Ben Auld has announced his forthcoming LP, Lemongrass (due February 15, 2022 via Earth Libraries), with a debut single entitled “D4A” which Glide is premiering below. Channeling the likes of Elliot Smith with soften-spoken harmonies and laid-back acoustics, the track is intimate and heartfelt, expressing the purest of emotions in a relatable, touching manner. Backtracked with sweet and bouncy instrumentation, listening to “D4A” is bound to prompt one to smile, despite the melancholy nature of it all. The single is an early inkling of Auld’s mastery of writing extraordinarily catchy and touching additions to the greater folk landscape reminiscent of Lord Huron and Foy Vance.
Speaking on the track, Auld wrote:
“This song is a folky jaunt. It’s pretty jolly sounding which I think mostly comes from the high strung guitar and quick pace. The narrative is a classic tale of infatuation and I suppose this is just an earnest account of what that feels like, while trying to avoid being too cringey or uninspired.
I guess that’s why I wanted it to sound quite merry. These sorts of feelings are intense and difficult to navigate in the moment but they’re kinda inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. I also like people being able to imprint a broad range of feelings or experiences on the music and making something happy-sad-personal-ambiguous is a good way to achieve that haha.
As with the other songs on the album, I wanted the song to sound dense and full despite the brevity. Most of the instruments are double or triple tracked and it somehow ended up creating these swells in the music which mimicked the different turns the lyrics take throughout. I spent a fair bit of time figuring out arrangements for the vocal harmonies on other songs but this was the first time it felt like they came together naturally which was cool. “
“D4A” is out tomorrow, and Lemongrass is due February 15, 2022 via Earth Libraries.
