By Keith Walsh
You can often trace a singer/songwriter’s personal circumstances by the lyrics they write and the mood of their songs. For quite a while now, Julian Shah-Tayler (The Singularity, Strangelove) has released outstanding tunes revealing the raptures of love and passion. Something’s changed. His new single, “Fall Apart” signals a different perspective.
The music itself is minimalist, with the same care taken to create novel sounds and present immaculate production. And while the melodies and beats are infectious, the lyrics tell a different story than earlier songs like “Wetter,” “Secret,” “Darkling U,” “Lupine” or the instructive “Kintsugi.” I asked Shah-Tayler to tell me about the breakup that inspired “Fall Apart.”
Synthbeat: In what ways was this relationship change unwelcome or unexpected?
Julian Shah-Tayler: “Any collapse of a relationship has to be unwelcome but unfortunately it was a little expected. When distance is measured in emotion as well as miles, it results in the erosion of trust. Our love affair imploded through misunderstanding and communication failures. It existed on both sides, but I feel the repair efforts were not received or they were expressed ineffectively.”
Synthbeat: And in what ways do you expect this fresh wound to possibly inspire a new tone or phase of songwriting for you?
Julian Shah-Tayler: “Each emotional tone generates its own distinct inspiration. I feel the chapter has closed through a few songs I’ve written. One is ‘Fall Apart’ which deals with my side of the hurt, and one other is ‘Semper and Omnis’ (written with my friend Phillip Spalding for the mental health charity Mind) which deals with the emotional reconciliation and beauty/trust with the beloved. Just because you’re no longer an item does not mean you can’t celebrate the wonderful things you shared.”
There’s certainly more to come from this Emmy-winning, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/studio whiz. In the meantime, check out “Fall Apart,” as well as Heartbreaksongs, a Spotify playlist compiled from suggestions by friends and fans of Julian Shah-Tayler.
Julian Shah-Tayler dot com
Julian Shah-Tayler on Facebook
Julian Shah-Tayler on Bandcamp
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