It appears Manchester’s knack for crafting bittersweet symphonies didn’t finish with The Verve. A.J Galley’s standout single, Down the Drain, is a stripped-back tour de pressure evocative of Radiohead’s songcraft, the place melancholy flows by means of the veins of each acoustic chord and sombre vocal concord. With emotion taking priority over theatrics, Galley’s voice swells and softens, permitting the momentum to ebb and move with pure depth.
Anybody who has ever beloved and misplaced the battle will discover swathes of resonance residing inside Down the Drain which finds itself leagues away from cliche. At simply 22, Galley demonstrates a maturity in his songwriting that defies his years. The monitor’s progressive association fastidiously builds to an artfully agonised crescendo, underscoring his command over dynamic contrasts.
Influenced by the likes of Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, and Chris Cornell, Galley bleeds introspective confessions into uncooked, unfiltered energy, balancing light verses with climactic choruses that bristle with intricate depth. With Down the Drain, Galley’s place within the metropolis’s sonic legacy feels greater than assured.
Down the Drain is now out there to stream on all main platforms, together with YouTube.
Evaluation by Amelia Vandergast
