Upon first listen of Shaw’s ‘The Escape’, I was indulged in indie-pop nostalgia. From the heavy acoustic dominant on the track, to the sombre yet uplifting story in the song, her voice is hauntingly raw and beautiful. Her voice delicate is charmingly delicate, very reminiscent of UK ‘indie darlings’ from the 2000’s’; Corinne Bailey and Birdy alike come to mind.
Her entire catalogue presents catchy choruses (‘November Wind’ comes to mind), however ‘The Escape’ especially has been repetitively played throughout October in my flat and has yet to become tiresome to hear- in fact it’s elegant simplicity only allows the song to prevail in likeability.
The roughness of her guitar is a potential recognisable trait. It derails the song from becoming too ‘clean’, too ‘perfect’, ‘too pop’: it adds texture to Shaw’s sound and gives a natural, down-to-Earth feel to her music.
Her formula of ‘unpretentious chord progression + graduating vocal intensity + pleasant rhythm’ = an easy listening and highly-addictive hit.
The Escape’ is a perfect single in setting the tone for Shaw’s artistry. The gentleness of her sound mixed with the range in her voice and her capability to write such moving and enjoyable lyrics- this single is an incredible portfolio of this 20-somethings talent.
For those who want music to ‘transport’ them, this single has buckets of potential to help you feel ‘free’, even for just a moment of your day.
By: Sophie Pontillo