Summer songs need certain qualifications to become summer hits. You need an arrangement that induces energy into the listener, you need an attitude to lead along all the drives to the beach, and you also need a chorus that can hook you for all the summertime.
Coming all the way from Norwich, Alex Kate is here with a really summery single. Full of nostalgia and love and sweet memories of one’s first crush. It’s also full of strong music that’s not to be thrown aside.
Written during a Zoom meeting with Heather Crawford, the song starts with a rhythmic guitar riff along with Kate’s strong voice. Then the chorus hits. Boasting a certain 90s quality with the roomy mix, boomy, non-compressed drums, and powerful head voice. The bridge that starts around the 2-minute 50-second mark features some haunting vocal deliveries that strongly channel the spirit of none other than the great Kate Bush.
It’s in the chorus where this song truly rises to the challenge of being a summer hit, and largely succeeds. Because of a mix that lacks a certain untouchable element that I’d call “polish,” this song suffers from an Achilles’ heel. That’s not to take anything away from the genuine quality of the songwriting or the stunning vocal abilities of Kate, though. This remains a thoroughly well-built and enjoyable song that will probably remain a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.