Jazz drummer turned indie folk troubadour Jonno Sweetman just dropped his debut EP and OTHERSIDE is a beautifully explored consideration on what it is to be human these days.
Displacement serves as a central theme here, physical and emotional. The collection of tracks, which were born in the bizarre climate that was 2020 and 2021, take a shrewd look at what self-displacement might be – a loss of oneself, followed by the reconciling of who you are.
Opener “Come Back” is a plea for just that, an indie-flecked reminder to return to the most solid version of yourself when everything else feels like too much. Soothing acoustics and compelling vocals make for a comforting introduction to Sweetman’s sound.
He delves into the darker side of his headspace in “The Light Is Gone”, whose pillowy beat, barely perceptible, lurks behind the acoustics at the fore. “Help me, I wish I could,” he lilts, the José Gonzalez influence he cites shining through.
“Not Enough” kicks things up a notch with a country-twang and a little more energy as he waxes lyrical on self-preservation, “Otherside” echoes bare-boned guitar and full-bodied atmospherics, while “Tell Me” hinges on chiming balladry as it pays tribute to life and the people who matter. It’s an artful snapshot of a mind in the modern day, brought across with familiar comfort.
Feature pic supplied by artist
