You might not have heard his name before, but Jacob Turl is set to cause waves in Sydney’s eclectic music scene with his hypnotic and all-consuming musical creations.
Last week, he hit us with two fresh singles which we have no doubt will pull you in and leave you drenched in what truly is an original sound.
You to Me and Solitary Vision are the first two tastes Jacob Turl is gifting the world, with both tracks oozing the highest quality musicianship and a unique sense of lyrical sensibility.
What strikes immediately about the dreamy sound of You to Me is its gradual build-up, quickly showing Turl’s impressive vocal ability. Earthy tones and impressive high notes combined with constantly building instrumentals gives the impression that you are falling deeper and deeper into the world which Turl has thoughtfully curated. These soundscapes are addictive in nature, inviting you to to take the track for another spin as soon as it concludes.
This impressive sound is not entirely a solo effort. The tracks were recorded by both Turl and Benjamin Collinge in a rehearsal space located in Sydney’s Inner West, which functions as a glorified home studio. Having a space is everything to both Turl and Collinge, who use their home-away-from-home to apply their innovative approach to music in recordings and jam sessions.
It’s no surprise that the musical ability shines through in both of his tracks, as Turl has spent years learning, practising, experimenting and creating. After picking up the guitar at the age of eight, Turl started writing his own songs void of melody. What is surprising, however, is that it wasn’t until Turl was 17 that he began to sing.
Similarly to You to Me, Solitary Vision carries you to a faraway place. It is clear that Turl approaches songwriting in an unconventional way, pushing deeply personal and provocative concepts into places that they would not necessarily go naturally. In a discussion of his songwriting style Turl stated:
“I’ve always admired artists who can create characters/works that have a distinct disconnect from them as people, yet have a strong feeling of universalism and relatable thematic concepts.”
This ‘familiar disconnection’ is something that Turl undoubtedly achieves, made even better by a sound which nods its head to a number of influences while simultaneously sounding like nothing you’ve heard before. Perhaps Turl succeeds in this because these influences are so different from one another, allowing him to cherry-pick ideas, concepts and sounds and combine them to form something new. In particular, central influences to Turl’s sound include The Beach Boys, Nick Drake, Elliott Smith and Radiohead.
While his music conjures up all sorts of incredible imagery, Jacob Turl has also released a music video to accompany Solitary Vision, directed by himself and Matthew McAlpine. Its glistening lo-fi aesthetic is the perfect complement to the track.
Watch the music video for Solitary Vision below and be sure to delve deep into Jacob Turl’s irresistible sound.
