Some formulas seem to never get old no matter how many iterations of it have been done, and among those are roomy, jazzy, lofi ballads with personal, impassioned singing, gut-wrenching stories, and warm, soulful instrumentations. May Payne masterfully pulls this off with her latest single, titled Take It Too.
Based in Manchester, May Payne is a singer-songwriter whose vulnerable, delicate singing feels right at home on her latest single. Take It Too is a sprawling tale of desperation. Clocking in at nearly 6 minutes long, Take It Too is the story of May Payne suffering abuse in a toxic relationship, laying down in detail how she was mistreated and given false hopes, and ending with her basically begging the other person to stay, promising them to forgive all the hurt that they caused. So, not the healthiest of situations, but the music luckily is as healthy as it can be.
Throughout the song’s 6 minutes, May Payne’s performance remains dramatic and compelling, perfectly acted, lending to the song a sense of gravity. May Payne successfully made me eager to know how things turned out in the end with her exciting and pulling singing that’s mostly hushed, restrained, and gentle. But when needed, Payne effortlessly injects her performance with a sense of unyielding momentum. The instrumentation is composed of a keyboard that’s floaty and dreamy, a warm bass, and a drum kit that’s tight and punchy. The production is spot on, the performances live and breathe with May’s words, and the song sounds beautifully organic and live, and with the jazzy, multi-faceted composition of the piece, this warmth feels right at home.
May Payne’s latest single is warm and personal, with personal, heartfelt lyrics that are descriptive and honest, at some points uncomfortable so, as they display May Payne at her most vulnerable, showing immense courage from her side, and adding depth to the final output that makes the song gratifying and fulfilling. Take It Too is a piece of art of the highest standard.