In Review: Ralph Taylor - Your Very Own Celebrity
Bedroom pop takes on a nu-disco streak in Your Very Own Celebrity, the first solo EP from London-based artist Ralph Taylor. After a string of single releases and festival appearances, Taylor’s latest EP is a promising display of what could be expected from a full-length release.
Opening track ‘Maybe Tomorrow’, with its house party swagger, leads off with bongos and galaxy synths. The lyrics, asking “where do you go when the weight gets a little much?” paints the party with an existential crisis. Single ‘You Could Be a Star’ equates a relationship with celebrity culture, its protagonist self-destructively offering themselves up - ‘take me, break me into little pieces that you keep.’
On ‘Time Will Tell’, restrained vocals peek through busy, yet focused production. The bassline and percussion splinter out oh-so-satisfyingly, gifting the groove with a purposeful evolution. Switching gears, ‘Would You Let Me Know’ slows the tempo but keeps the energy, shifting into reggae-tinged production as Taylor once again offers himself. Throughout the EP, the lyrics hint at the potential of a relationship - fitting, considering the buzzing potential that Your Very Own Celebrity exudes.
Lead single ‘In The Things We Do’ is the vocal standout of the project, allowing the warm buzz of Taylor’s voice to shine. ‘I just wanna paint the walls, and share the brush with you,’ he sings, arpeggiating synths swinging in and around the popping snares. The lightning synergy of the vocals and production crackle with electricity. It’s an energetic closer and an exciting indication of further sophisticated bedroom pop to come.
Within its concise 16-minutes, Your Very Own Celebrity constructs a sonically cohesive narrative, allowing Taylor the opportunity to practically experiment in real-time. Further opportunities would be very welcome.
To hear more from Ralph Taylor, click here.