Track Review: Down // Jake Aldridge

The saying goes that there it is always darkest before dawn and this is the case with Jake Aldridge. After experiencing the death of his father during his early childhood, Jake chose music as a catharsis to deal with the traumatic event. The UK native began writing songs, collaborating with local music producers and discovering his own sense of rhythm. This process led him to the rap scene where he captured the attention of Dingwall’s owner Maria Kempinska and musician Billie Laurie; however, we now find him as a pop singer-songwriter. A jump we are very pleased he made as it brought him to us.

Featured on The Other Side Reviews, Our Sound Music, RGM, Rising Artists Blog and BBC Radio, Jake ladles elements of country atop a contemporary pop background in his songs. The latest addition to his well-received repertoire is the single ‘Down’.

Following his soothing single ‘King of the World’, Jake brings a more hard-hitting sound with ‘Down’. While he remains true to his pop style, ‘Down’ sees Jake add a powerful guitar ala indie-pop to the single – something that showcases his versatility as an artist. Yes, there is a more rock-influenced undertone with the instrumentation, however, the soothing flow of his music can still be enjoyed.

Personally, I am a fan of this talented musician so my opinion may be a bit biased but I’ll share it anyway. One aspect of Jake Aldridge that I find particularly intriguing is his lyrical depth and profound meaning in his songs. Co-written with multi-instrumentalist David Edward Booth, ‘Down’ meets Jake’s aspiration to create music that is close to his heart with a message that he can stand for. The latest track is an anthemic tribute to “the underdog” exploring the celebration of being an “underdog” instead of the bad points.

The folk-pop rendition of almost every emo song from the early-2000s, Jake shares his infectious tribute to being the uncool, unwanted and under-rated kid in the class. So many people with connect with this and I can definitely see ‘Down’ on our playlist for a while to come.