Track Of The Day :: Josh Wheatley - Close

Words: Linn Branson

Something quite unbelievably stunning happened to fall into our inbox a few days ago, sent from a young Nottingham-based singer/songwriter by the name of Josh Wheatley. And despite his email to us being headed: "If Mumford & Sons had an indie-pop phase...", upon hearing the track he had sent us, we were immediately hooked.

Imagine how a male version of Hannah Reid (London Grammar) might sound, crossed with Paul Thomas Saunders, and you may get something of an idea as to how good this young 19-year-old is. Having initially developed his love of singing around the age of 11, "I had felt the need to branch out a little further," he says. "I began playing guitar at 14 and quickly started writing lyrics. I later started listening to Ben Howard, falling in love with tracks such as 'Keep Your Head Up' and 'Old Pine'. Then, one night I happened to be at a Dry The River show, and it was there I realised the hunger I have for live performance. This led me to try to write bigger music and begin playing shows."

'Close' is the title track from his debut EP, released on April 24. Describing his music as 'indie-pop with a dark twist", it is apposite for this work.

"'Close' came from an argument I had. I was just annoyed and to calm myself down tried writing something, but it didn't work and I just found myself getting more and more frustrated because I'd written nothing in ages. Then 'Close' just sort of happened..."

Achingly beautiful, minimal instrumentation along with poignant lyrics (see below) and tear-jerking delivery, 'Close' makes for one hell of a debut, and picks out Wheatley as a young artist on the way to standing up with the best of his genre.

As for the rest of the EP, Josh tells us that, "two of the songs are bigger, more upbeat,  and there's also a semi-acoustic track at the end."

With plans in operation for a launch show in Nottingham, followed by some shows in London in late spring (keep track on his Facebook page for dates) - all to be played with a backing band -  Josh Wheatley could well find himself sharing a bill with those very Mumfords before too long, we think.


Close

I found a light, in your eyes.
Home to reside.
Strong but broken up, you feel the pain.
Of what's inside.

Close
Close

Think of all you have, not what dies.
Thoughts overstay.
There's life on the other side, please don't breathe.
Don't waste away.

And I'm closer to you,
In the darkness of day.
But the words that I want,
My mouth will betray.
Exuding water,
Under your skin.
It's not black and white,
It's deeper within.

Close
Close
Close
Close

Close but too far, within your heart.
Broken walls.
Fallen way too far. I found a light, the dark befalls.

And I'm closer to you,
In the darkness of day.
But the words that I want,
My mouth will betray.
Exuding water,
Under your skin.
It's not black and white,
It's deeper within.

Close
Close
Close

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