Last year anyone who had the unfortunate luck of having a one on one chat with me about music would have been subjected to a long tirade as to why White Deer Park was the most underrated album of 2014. Given that Papa vs Pretty broke up in that same year rubbed salt in the wound. It was an album defined by it’s sophistication and ambition, not to mention a little nostalgia for the album’s namesake.* Thankfully, a creative force like Thomas Rawle isn’t the type to keep quiet. With a new musical guise of Dreller, Rawle manages to wipe away these fan boy tears.
Like a phoenix, Thomas Rawle emerges as his impressive new solo voyage Dreller. Equal parts moving and abrasive, One Night Stand is a fling you can’t resist.
A little melodramatic? Well you’re clearly not a PvP fan. I describe Rawle as a creative force and that is the truth. The man has a knack for stringing together big concepts with inspired instrumentation to give us music that is buried in tangible layers. He has one track to his new name so far, One Night Stand, a piece of music that will please old fans and newbies to the foray alike.
Like an actual one night stand, the song is flirtatious and nonchalant in its instrumentation. With a cheeky wink you’re drawn in to the sparse beat and a gently strummed guitars. The treated deep vocal that repeatedly sings “One night stand” gives the song a dark edge which continues to build wit the addition of moody synths. There’s a battle between the pretty and ugly sounds that plays into the drama of Rawle’s desperate pleas.
As always Rawle’s vocals are a melee. He ranges from soft, crooning falsettos to warm, abrasive tones. It fits well with the themes of the song, as he wrestles with his desire to feel genuine love and the more pessimistic notion that not much exists beyond the physical. It’s that doubt that sells the track so well, the rawness of it all speaks to very human desires and morals. The repetitive robotic voice singing “I just wana love something real” duelling with Rawle’s “I just wana fall in love” is a powerful moment that sees it all collide.
Woozy and tantalising as hell, Rawle has crafted one hell of a track with One Night Stand. As far as debut singles go it’s quite good, and hopefully is a sign of things to come in the new year.
*Any fans of The Animals of Farthing Wood in the house?
