London-based singer-songwriter – and multi-instrumentalist – Mike Melan is back with his latest musical venture ‘We Still Have Hearts’.
This 12-track album took 18 months of dedication, prowess, and love and has resulted in an assemblage of easy-listening compositions that are firmly rooted in rousing rock.
Following his debut album (‘Soul Theory’) in 2022, Mike Melan’s latest album has created an effortless complexity amongst his instrumental choices, flaunting a partiality for ingenuity.
‘We Still Have Hearts’ stems from triumph, celebrating mastery over adversity with an audible optimism that’s simply infectious.
Without further ado, I have carefully selected the tracks that fully encapsulate Melan’s range. Let’s take a look!
‘All I Have Is Tears’
To start, we shall look at the album’s introductory track, titled ‘All I Have Is Tears’.
If you’re like, you would’ve read the track’s title and immediately assumed your introduction to Melan’s latest album was going to be a sorrowful one.
However, after listening to the first 10 seconds, you are reminded of the pitfalls of assumptions. The guitar plays as if it were breathless, submerging the listener into a brooklet of ringletted dynamics.
Flaunting a moody tonality, Mike Melan’s vocals pierce the instrumentation with a noticeably cheerier, brighter timbre. The tempo ramps it up a notch to bolster Melan’s delightful voice; however, this change isn’t jarring and sticks to Melan’s penchant for easy-listening, soulful melodies.
It feels as if the entire texture of the track seems more vibrant with the incorporation of Melan’s vocals, especially as he sings:
‘Never mind the darkness // Never mind the pain // There’s something deep inside of us // We will find a way.’
For me, this beautifully positive message captures the artistic essence of Mike Melan, turning what is seemingly darksome or downcast into something that quickly brings a smile to your face.
‘Different Times’
I chose this track in particular because of the contrast between ‘Different Times’ and ‘All I Have Is Tears’. It is so striking and effortlessly demonstrates Mike Melan’s versatility.
Where ‘All I Have Is Tears’ started with the listener questioning the overall texture of the track, ‘Different Times’ is easily recognisable as a tear-jerker.
The track opens with a thunderous soundscape, ornamented delicately with soothing rainfall and the gentle lull of a melancholic piano.
For me, the true richness and honey-sweet lilt of Melan’s vocals has never been more appropriately portrayed than in this track.
If you listen to the lyrics ‘Another summer fades away // The seasons come and go // But I remember everything // Just how could I forget? If memories are sunshine // We’re living in the shadows’, you can hear the raw, heart-pouring emotion in Melan’s vocals.
With this track, the first minute will have you believing that Melan had captured the rime-covered stars and implemented them within the track’s initially cold, grief-filled harmonies.
You may have noticed I said ‘initially’ just now. That’s because – true to Melan’s cheery style – the track is injected with some unexpected vigour through the sudden arrival of gleeful guitar progressions and excitable drumbeats.
To add to my surprise, a pure, resonant ripple of viola also accompanies Melan’s vocals and ties everything together to shed a little sunlight on this seemingly mournful single.
The track ends with a gorgeous last line from Mike Melan: ‘Nothing stays the same’ and a conclusive spume of mellifluous instrumentals.
With a slow, breathtaking swell, the instrumentals fade out, and one last grumble of thunder, you realise that even through the positivity, you will still experience a little bit of darkness. But what Mike Melan’s music teaches you is that you’re strong enough to get through anything that comes your way!
‘Your Mind’s Eye’
The last track we will look at is called ‘Your Mind’s Eye’. This track starts with an explosive romance between the crooning bassline and a snarling guitar riff that captivated me immediately.
What I like most about the introductory instrumental is the meticulous discordance of the grungy, gritty melody that adds a wit-sharp edge to Melan’s extensive range.
Typical of Mike Melan, his gentle, wise vocals assuage the harshness of the instrumental harmonies, blurring the lines between conventional tonalities, which I think is one of Melan’s most unique features.
This track has an authentic spirit that permeates throughout the overall rhythm of the track, nodding to some home-hitting truths:
‘You’re easily blinded // And there’s no need to hide it // When you’re fragile and frightened // But there’s nothing to fear.’
Personally, the lyrics above stand as a testament to Mike Melan’s thrutches of vulnerability and introspection that he buries within his songs. It was so refreshing to hear an audibly wise soul address the reality of irrational fears and anxiety, making his listeners feel like they’re not alone in their struggles.
The track ends with an addictive ardour, awash with the smooth, earthy delivery of Melan’s euphonious voice. The last note you hear is the oscillating glister of that gorgeously grungy guitar, and you are simply blown away.
As someone who hugely appreciates the harsher side of rock, I think I may have just been converted to the easy-listening side of this vibrant genre!
Mike Melan
Like so many others, inspiration hit Mike Melan during the lockdown period of 2020, prompting Melan to lend his talents to his brilliantly soulful debut album.
From there, Mike Melan found an abundance of recognition and praise amongst radio stations, playlists, and streaming platforms. It didn’t long for Melan to garner a loyal following, his thoughtful artistry having touched the hearts of thousands of his listeners.
Sewing a multi-layered patchwork of distinct styles, Mike Melan’s influences consist of Counting Crows, Pearl Jam, and – most notably – Tom Petty, whom Melan had previously covered with his own rendition of ‘Walls’.
By deriving influence from a range of distinct artists, Mike Melan’s own signature style is a unique creative force that you can’t help but be swept up within.
With ‘We Still Have Hearts’, Mike Melan has solidified himself as one of London’s most talented, soulful London artists on the scene!
‘We Still Have Hearts’ is out now across all major platforms!
