Should we formally introduce Laji George to our listening room? The passionate frontman of Pseutopia has now wonderfully established himself in a unique musical space through his debut solo work. Having come straight out of the pulsing rhythms of the city that has been his home ever since he moved there in his teens, George skillfully brings to each note the purity and authenticity he finds so inspiring in his beloved city. This new work, released only a few days ago on May 14th, feels like a doorway into the personal transformation George has undergone, merging gritty city life with an unmistakable human element. Let’s talk about it.

The song begins with a majestic synth sound that demands your attention from the very first second. Just moments after such a majestic beginning, a beautiful melody of guitar and drums establishes itself in the musical composition. However, although the opening sounds are absolutely mesmerizing and impressive, the real turning point happens the very moment when George’s voice enters the picture. The atmosphere of the composition changes at once and becomes electrified by the power of his performance. His singing is so passionate that you immediately understand that you have just heard something really exceptional.

Born out of a feeling of emotional weariness, “Alone” was composed while the artist experienced a time of severe isolation, during which the pain of being cut off from everything and everybody had become unbearable. Let us be frank, the pandemic is arguably one of the most devastating catastrophes that have ever hit modern humankind, destroying our feelings of safety and leaving us with an invisible burden of psychological fatigue. The isolation itself was extremely hard; even for people living in the same house, not being able to go out, breathe fresh air, and communicate with the world made their homes feel like a kind of prison cell. For people living alone, the solitude inside the four walls was more than they could bear. The monotonousness of life deprived of human contact and any spontaneity had a huge negative effect on the mental and emotional state of millions of people. With its brave and raw vulnerability, this song conveys the heavy truth about what people went through during the darkest times of our common history.

If one takes a closer look at the process of making “Alone,” then the song can become even more interesting in terms of contrasts. It was created during a very special period when the artist felt loneliness and alienation; however, the music still manages to convey the vulnerable emotional state perfectly while keeping the spirit of rock alive. It should be noted that the song was created in the city that the artist calls home, New York City. The creation of the album was preceded by a long and thoughtful process of creating that lasted several years and started after the quarantine restrictions were imposed. Remarkably, these songs have been created while working on music initially intended for Pseutopia, yet George realized early on that these particular and highly personal songs needed to stand out on their own. This song definitely shows that, allowing the instruments to rock and roll through alternative rock style while at the same time highlighting the human side of the song.

It would be hard to argue that this particular song does not affect you in any way whatsoever. Not only is it a great musical composition, but it also makes you remember a time when everyone felt rather unstable and exposed. Despite all the crises that the world has been through, leaving an ample number of physical effects behind, there was something specific about this particular period. This particular time period has destroyed us physically, mentally, and emotionally. For those of us who are still quietly putting ourselves back together and healing our minds, “Alone” offers a soothing reminder that we are not alone in our shadow, well, at least not anymore, and definitely not after listening to this song. For this very reason, I strongly recommend that everyone reading this article and who loves music listen to this track right away. We have a lot to thank Laji for being so open with his experiences and taking on the mantle of complete vulnerability. A true artist is someone who shares parts of themselves with the world, and that is exactly what Laji has done. He is an incredible musician, a soon-to-be star, and I cannot wait to see where his musical journey will take me next.

Stream “Alone” on Spotify or SoundCloud

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