Review by Sylvie Marie & Staff
A gentle and flowing arpeggiated piano surrounded by ambient strings opens Darien Martus' indie-pop song, "Hold Me Tonight." Martus wrote, produced, and recorded the song as a solo artist.
In the beginning, the musical landscape is contemplative. Martus enters singing, "Life is hard / Or did you know / It’s not a fairytale / Love can hurt / Or it can heal." Martus' vocal performance is intimate and stirring. With a rich tone, Martus' baritone voice is expressive, filled with nuance and character. similar to artists like Leonard Cohen.
As the song moves forward, it opens up (to the ear's surprise) with an electronic backbeat that takes the tempo from pensive to upbeat and hopeful. The electrifying track moves through your veins like a pop song you can dance to with an expansive sound that is easy to get lost in. Soon a clap track arrives and the transition from a melancholy ballad to energetic mid-tempo EDM-indie-pop piece is fully realized.
Lyrically, "Hold Me Tonight" is poetic. Martus utilizes contrast, both musically and lyrically, to bring out the harshness of a cold world and the warmth of love which is "our only hope." "It can be hard and cold Love alone Our only hope Our only fairytale."
At the end of the song, Martus returns once more to the soft, ballad presentation heard in the beginning. His arrangement, full of color. texture, dynamics, and surprising transitions, locks the ear in from the beginning to the end. Simply put, it's mesmerizing on multiple levels.
Darien Martus' "Hold Me Tonight" is a very-well-conceived and performed indie-pop song. Utilizing a suitcase full of musicality, the song is untraditional, yet it yields a timeless feel. The subject matter captures both despair and hope in a way that gets under your skin and is truly unforgettable.
About Darien Martus
Darien Martus signed to Do It Records/Sony in 2020, releasing 9 albums through his new label, including his acclaimed “Love in the Apocalypse” “An impressive pop album...highly recommended” On Request Magazine. His album, “Pockets” charted on Amazon at #1, Hot New Release in Folk, and his last 3 albums were listed for Grammy consideration. Darien writes and produces his music from his home in the mountains of Southern California. Current work includes, Rockaxeon, a rock epic poem and an upcoming single, “Hold Me Tonight”.
For more information on Darien Martus, please visit his website.