The Welsh singer-songwriter Owen Weston is back with his second single, “Silhouettes,” which is a journey. Right from its very first note, “Silhouettes” takes you on a mysterious adventure of subtlety and layered beauty, unveiling an aural landscape both intimate and wide-ranging.
Quiet, reflective, and setting the mood, the song opens up with the delicate piano and guitar play. It’s tough not to be drawn in by the dreamy layered vocals and harmonies filling the space of Weston’s meditative sounds. Harmoniously, his voice weaves into the instrumentation, hovering but firmly placed, creating a tapestry of sounds that is warmly familiar yet refreshingly new.
As “Silhouettes” progresses, some percussion enters, bringing a nice, easy rhythm that pushes the song forward with a bit more intention but without disturbing its peaceful core. The laidback vibe remains in place, letting the listener drift along to the music, lost in its soothing embrace.
Of the track, he says, “With ‘Silhouettes’ I wanted to create a song dripping with harmonies, but also wanted to keep some sections quite bare to give everything within the track some space.”
This creates the perfect balance between these lush harmonies and open, airy sections, something that’s difficult to manage. The harmonies, buried treasures on many a track, take center stage in this mix, allowing their full beauty to be heard. It’s a decision that has its payoff, as vocal interplay becomes a major way to add depth and richness without overwhelming the listener.
Recorded at home and then mixed by incredible producer Alef Matthews, “Silhouettes” benefits from the sort of production that augments delicacy instead of smothering it. ‘Alef always adds a layer of brilliance to any mix and is an incredible producer,’ says Weston – and the benefit of their collaboration can now be seen in the leaden but sensitive touch of this cut.
In “Silhouettes,” Owen Weston has made a song that feels like a gentle caress to the soul: relaxed, dreamy, and meditative, perfect as a companion for reflection and calm. While you listen, it’s not just music; you’re partaking of a piece of Weston’s heart and brain that he affectionately just wanted to make sure got out.
You can find more of Owen Weston at:
You can listen to ‘Silhouettes’ below:
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.