Joshua Martin’s jubilant new single is a peppy electro-pop anthem that draws from many influences. Let’s see how it manages to stay afloat.
Joshua Martin is an English/Spaniard who is based in Los Angeles, and it’s there that he comes up with, records, and produces his music. Joshua’s main source of inspiration is music from the 80s, as would be perfectly noticeable, 15 seconds into the song.
High Go Down is his latest single. This Popper is full of pure, summery soul. Endlessly bright, open, and expansive. From the get-go, a sharp square synth arpeggio hits hard, sounding dry and frenetic, it’s a perfect 80s synth, then the gated reverb on the drum part reminds us of Phil Collins’s most infamous contribution to the 80s music tech. The dense phasing is also a clear nod toward that time. The composition is light and vast, allowing massive space for the melodies to go a million different places, but what Joshua does is come up with a couple of really soulful and spaced-out melodies that are heartfelt, effortless, and so much fun. This 2-chord song manages, quite impressively if I might add, to have a distinct verse, chorus, and bridge sections, using smart production techniques, and inspired, simplistic songwriting tactics, ending up ultimately with a compelling, late summer hit, that has potential to land easily on a ton of playlists.
Joshua’s effort is noticeable and his shortcomings are tastefully evaded (or handled) by his intelligent songwriting skills, production finesse, and by a generally solid piece of music that’s endlessly fun to listen to.