If you’re looking for a feel-good and summery listen that’s not too difficult to get into, look no further than the latest effort from Maybeshewill, Fair Youth.
Instrumental music can tend to be fairly hit and miss, as it’s quite easy to fall into a trap of repetitive ideas and sections without having the safety net of a vocal line to fall back on, but Maybeshewill have definitely crafted something that’s quietly brilliant with Fair Youth. Each track is its own seperate entity and everything works quite well, making for a refreshing listen.
All Things Transient is a particularly stunning piece, a soft and rather relaxing, ambient number with some beautiful keys throughout, and another great listen is the more upbeat and energetic Waking Life. The drums in the more energetic sections really give the track life, and juxtapose them well with the slower parts of the song.
However, although Maybeshewill can’t be faulted on musicianship or talent, Fair Youth does feel a little lacking at times. Whilst it has to be said that it is a great album and an interesting listen, it does feel like there’s something missing at times and at times it feels more like background music than an album that requires your full attention. It’s a bit of shame, but as a whole, Fair Youth is a great little piece that is definitely worth more than just a passing glance.
7/10
