Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
A good producer makes a lot of difference in any song, but in a song as delicate as the new single “Hold On Me” from Karma, a remix from the likes of Jack Rayner is enough to turn the simple tune into an instant hit. While Rayner doesn’t change anything about the identity of this moderate pop gem, he absolutely helps to spotlight some of the bolder intricacies in the track, with this remix sounding a bit heavier-handed than the original incarnation of “Hold On Me,” but in a way listeners are almost certain to be left hypnotized by.
Bandcamp: https://karmaswanepoel.bandcamp.com/track/hold-on-me
The percussion is probably the loudest part in the instrumentation, and it definitely creates the kind of crisp bottom-end beside the bass that this lead vocal needs to sound like the angelic entity it really is. Karma’s voice is absolutely unforgettable, and it’s made all the more virginal in tone through the bluntness of this remix. I don’t know whether it was Rayner or our leading lady crafting the parameters for this piece, but in either case what they ultimately were able to create in this take on “Hold On Me” is absolutely strong enough to sink a lot of the mainstream pop balladry I’ve heard in the last few months.
Rayner’s chemistry with Karma is strong from all sides, and in their best moments I think they both make it pretty clear why any indie artist would want to share a studio with them. Beyond the production quality sounding handmade to the needs of this singer, there’s a connective musical bond between the concept and the actual product that tells me they’re definitely on each other’s level creatively. That’s all it takes to make a definitively potent partnership in this medium, and with any luck they’ll work together on a project like this again in the future.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hold-on-Me/dp/B08FBQPSXT
Each part of this underground cocktail is mesmerizing, but if pressed to name one reason why you need to pick up this remix of “Hold On Me,” it always comes back to Karma herself. From the original to this latest cut, she’s given us plenty of reasons to believe in her artistry and the evolutionary track she’s on as a performer. Time will give her an even greater edge than she is in possession of at the moment, but if you want some instant gratification from the indie pop genre, her new single is definitely where it’s at.
Edward Cyr
