With the discharge of “Like An Angel”, Marsha Swanson reaffirms her place as probably the most compelling voices in up to date progressive pop—an artist who not solely writes from the soul, however with it. Unveiled as a celebration of the one-year anniversary of her critically acclaimed album Close to Life Expertise, this observe isn’t just a commemorative gesture. It’s a transcendental evolution of a once-hidden gem, now revealed in full gentle, respiratory with emotion, gravitas, and shimmering sonic magnificence.
Initially a ghost observe—an unnamed, virtually whispered farewell that lived quietly on the fringe of Close to Life Expertise—“Like An Angel” has now been given a vibrant rebirth. Re-recorded with a full dwell band and enriched by a lush string association, the music emerges from the shadows of its former existence with objective and poise, elevated by manufacturing that enhances reasonably than overwhelms its haunting intimacy. It’s, with out query, certainly one of Swanson’s most private and profound choices up to now.
From the primary light swell of heat piano chords and the glisten of fresh guitar tones, the listener is instantly invited right into a contemplative house—a sanctuary the place emotion just isn’t solely allowed however revered. There’s something intrinsically non secular about this observe, a serenity that appears to hover, weightless, between worlds. That tone is fantastically captured by director Sam Chegini, whose award-winning animation as soon as once more proves an ideal match for Swanson’s introspective and poetic worldview.
Lyrically, “Like An Angel” is a masterclass in nuance and emotional intelligence. The place many artists would possibly lean into melodrama when tackling themes of mortality and remembrance, Swanson chooses reverence. Her phrases will not be elegiac, however illuminating. She gives no tidy resolutions, solely acceptance—and in that, a type of peace.
The opening strains—“You say that residing, is a dangerous recreation we play / However you see the wonder, embrace it daily”—instantly set the tone. This can be a music about an individual who noticed life clearly and with out worry, somebody whose presence was a quiet, radiant drive within the narrator’s world. By portraying this individual as somebody who neither flinches from uncertainty nor scrambles for management, Swanson paints an image of non secular power that contrasts powerfully with fashionable anxieties.
The chorus—“Oh, your gentle glows, like an Angel / Who comes and goes”—repeats like a mantra, not in despair however in devotion. The determine on the coronary heart of the music is ephemeral, maybe departed, however their essence is unmistakably current. In every verse and refrain, Swanson traces their philosophy—valuing adaptability, perceiving survival as an artwork—and mirrors it in her personal light give up to the unknown.
Because the bridge unfolds—“And now, I’m able to obtain this / As the good unknown sweeps over me”—there’s a turning level. That is the place the music strikes from remembrance to transformation. It’s not merely an ode to somebody misplaced, however a second of quiet awakening. The narrator, carried by reminiscence, learns to simply accept what can’t be managed, to really feel with out dashing to repair, to like with out demanding permanence. It’s grief alchemized into grace.
After which, virtually imperceptibly, the music ascends. The whispered chant of “I like you” repeats on the finish, not as a cry into the void however as a communion. It’s as if the act of claiming it summons the presence of the beloved as soon as extra—like a prayer that doesn’t search a solution however gives connection.
This emotional structure is supported by a crew of musicians who perceive restraint, environment, and texture. Produced by the seasoned Henry (King Thumb) Thomas, whose credit embody Randy Crawford and Paul Weller, the observe unfolds with an natural endurance that honors the music’s themes. Martyn Barker’s refined percussion gently steers the rhythm, whereas Tony Qunta’s guitar work shimmers like gentle on water. Anders Olinder’s keyboards present a tender, harmonic basis that enhances reasonably than distracts from Swanson’s crystalline vocals.
Echo Zoo Studios in Eastbourne serves as soon as once more because the sonic birthplace of this music, a setting that clearly understands the best way to protect the heat of analog instrumentation whereas sustaining fashionable readability. The dwell band’s presence is palpable—you’ll be able to really feel the breath between phrases, the intentionality of every word—and all of it culminates in a soundscape that’s concurrently cinematic and shut sufficient to whisper.
It’s becoming that “Like An Angel” would emerge to commemorate the continued success of Close to Life Expertise, an album that itself is constructed on themes of introspection, resilience, and emotional evolution. The ghost observe had already stirred listeners, prompting messages and hypothesis from followers about its mysterious presence. Now, in full bloom, it looks like a completion—a lacking piece returned to its rightful place.
This launch additionally marks Swanson’s fifth inventive partnership with Sam Chegini, whose visible interpretations deliver additional emotional depth to her work. Their synergy—her soul-searching lyrics and his vivid, interpretive animations—transforms the music from a non-public reminiscence right into a shared visible and auditory expertise.
Furthermore, “Like An Angel” has already achieved early recognition as a semi-finalist within the UK Songwriting Contest, standing proudly alongside three different tracks from Close to Life Expertise. It’s yet one more accolade in a profession already adorned with honors resembling Finest People Artist and Finest Album on the Glasswerk New Music Awards.
For followers of ethereal but grounded storytelling—those that revere the emotional poetry of Kate Bush, the introspective boldness of Tori Amos, or the cinematic honesty of Joni Mitchell—Marsha Swanson is an artist to cherish. “Like An Angel” encapsulates the whole lot that defines her artistry: readability with out cliché, tenderness with out sentimentality, magnificence with out artifice.
This isn’t music for the background. It’s music to really feel. To replicate by. To mourn with, and to heal via. “Like An Angel” is a non secular companion for these navigating love, loss, and the sunshine that by no means leaves us.
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