Track Review: Dear Friend // N4November
The brainchild of Australia-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alex, N4November is a fusion of indie-pop, pop-rock and indie-rock. Despite being a relatively new artist born of the Covid-19 pandemic, N4November is already receiving praise from various critics. Featured on Rising Artists Blog, The Other Side Reviews, Less Than 1000 Followers and Sinusoidal Music, the talented one-man-band is reaching audiences on a global scale. We are pleased to introduce him to you with his debut single ‘Dear Friend’.
Influenced by The 1975, Tame Impala, Marianas Trench and Waterparks, ‘Dear Friend’ has a strong leaning toward the pop-rock/emo-rock bands of the early 21st Century. Noting that he is “…highly inspired by the way Taylor Swift songwrites…”, N4November certainly engages with people on an intimate level. Can anyone forget Taylor’s heartfelt singles ‘Teardrops On My Guitar’ or ‘Fearless’? I certainly can’t and it might be due to her engagement through profound lyrics – even if some people say she’s flimsy pop. N4November identified the power of this personal connection and used it to his benefit.
Recorded and produced at his home studio, the track has an intimacy in not only the lyricism but the musical arrangement as well. Penned at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, Alex found himself lacking inspiration but being inspired by contemporary film-pop culture (he watched a lot of television at that time). Cleverly placing certain film-pop quotations in the song, there is a reflection of himself as a person and society at large. Moreover, the track touches on topics of mental health and overcoming these issues increasing the poignancy of ‘Dear Friend’.
Not the first written by Alex, but the first to be released, ‘Dear Friend’ shows sophistication and polished design that only comes with true musicality and natural talent. Combining pounding drums, dynamic guitars and grittiness in the vocals, the single is a sonic representation of a troubled mind. Alright, perhaps not a troubled mind but definitely one dealing with a difficult situation. A brutally raw and profound single speaking to isolated and conflicted emotions, ‘Dear Friend’ is a contemporary approach to existential truths; however, there is a sense of empowerment and hopefulness within the turbulent pool of sound. Anthemic and eclectic with strong maturity, N4November is one to keep your eye on!