Listening to Shaela Miller’s latest single, titled ‘After the Masquerade’, I found it tricky to decide if I was in the present time, the colorful 70s, or the wild 80s. With its syrupy sweet, hippie-laced guitar melodies, electrifying synth-based arrangement, and sharp modern production, this decade hopper of a song is fresh, lively, and just simply beautiful.
Canadian singer and songwriter Shaela Miller is based in Alberta, and she has been going strong for a while now. On her latest release, Shaela effortlessly proves that her mettle as a singer and as a pop artist is immensely strong. The ballad-like song is minimal on the composition front, but as an arrangement and a finished product it is anything but.
A carefully balanced, articulate mix that fluently blends electronica and mature pop with definite nods to classic country music via the tasteful slide guitar lines, prevalent throughout the song. Perhaps most worthy of notice is Miller’s vocal delivery. Silky smooth and a pristine display of control, the surgical precision and pure power are a pleasure to experience.
With production done by Graham Lessard, an underappreciated genius who has worked with Timber Timbre, underappreciated geniuses in their own right, it is not a surprise that the mix ended up sounding this coherent, fulfilling, and perfectly functional.
“After the Masquerade’ is a masterful piece of music. While not aiming to redefine genres or break any rules, it nonetheless manages to be outstanding in its maturity, intention, restraint, and just sheer musical, melodic, and harmonic appeal.