Strangely satisfying, oddly eccentric pop-rock

You can only ever make one first impression, so it’s important that it’s a lasting one. On his debut single Phone, Tom Low does just that – for better or worse.

It’s actually an amazingly crafted track, using sample-sounding rhythm sections but meshing a cross section of melancholy-brushed vocals and cheery, oddly-chirpy instrumentation to create a solid retro vibe. His choice of melodies adds to this feeling, creating something a little bit like swing-of-Britpop Blur (kinda as if from the Let’s All Go Down The Strand days) dropping a novelty track a bit like David Bowie‘s The Laughing Gnome.

All that said though, it definitely strikes as an acquired taste. In fact, it’s probably the strangest and weirdest debut single that will be released all year. But it shows a spark of something in Low, one which many artists (with the eccentric exception of maybe Orlando Deer) are lacking. For better or worse, he’s definitely one to keep an eye on.