It is with great pleasure that we introduce our readers to the talented singer-songwriter, Mark Moule. Mark Moule hails from the idyllic town of Busselton, located on the coast of Australia, and has a unique ability to encapsulate human emotion through his music, in much the same way that Cat Stevens or Phil Collins have done before him. This young artist’s writing style reaches deep within, finding the soul and its natural pulse. On February 11th, he launched his new 4-track EP titled “Only Love.” Let us discuss the wonderful compositions included on this album.
The journey starts with “Coming Down,” surprising the listener right away with an abrupt, dry, and isolated drum fill, composed of fast snare and kick hits. Accompanying this is a raw and heavily distorted electric guitar, delivering a strong rhythm. “Coming Down” doesn’t mean literally coming down from a medicated high; rather, it explores the idea of vulnerability in the face of the aftereffects of life or of a relationship. It’s about the harsh reality of the world. As you confront yourself with the truth after the thrill dies down, there’s a chance that you might not be able to build back up. Fortunately, the persona in the song asks for help to reduce the effects of this fall and rebuild back up, and as we know, asking for help is always the best step in the right direction. From a musical perspective, the voice of Moule is very gravelly and has gravity. In the same vein, the instrumentals are thick, and there are sharp guitar stabs that reflect the inner conflict expressed in the lyrics. For the listener, it comes across as quite jarring, and you feel the weight of your choices in that instant, when everything seems to stop just as you realize that the party is over and you need help going up again
With the entry into the title track, “Only Love,” the project takes on a tone more suited to expansion and soulfulness. The opening is an organ pad and electrical melody with gradual increases in volume before moving into a shake of a subtle rhythmic pattern. It’s not a track about superficial love but rather delves into love as the last and only stronghold left to humanity. The narrator in the song tells us how nowadays, life is a video game (let’s say for example, life has become Grand Theft Auto)and you know what?, it’s true. Life has become wild and unpredictable but, all hope is not lost because, the cheat code and the skills we need to survive is love. Love is a powerful thing that can birth happiness, unity and peace. We are most grateful to Moule for this powerful sentiment. This music demonstrates considerable dynamics; starting with a quiet, almost whispering verse, Moule ends up singing an extremely powerful, open-throated song that has a slight break in his voice on the high notes, thus showing his pure, sincere longing. As for the instruments, they gradually lead to the development of a unique combination of acoustic guitar parts and sublime harmonies in the background that makes this song sound like a hymn or something like that. All in all, this track inspires one with great strength and reminds that it’s love only that matters.
The tone changes to a very bitter one with “Where’s The Money Gone”, as the song starts with an incredibly frenzied bass guitar strumming sound, the frantic palm muted technique gives out vibes of frantic searching. The message in the song is one of mockery, which is directed at how easy it is to be betrayed and disappointed. In this song, the lyrics act like a furious audit of one’s life or society, which failed to deliver on its promise. From a musical standpoint, the vocals have a crisp and detached sound, in line with the frenetic rhythm of the guitar. The music itself is sparse and light on its feet, centered around the tension between the relentless acoustic beat and the steady walking bassline. The message is frustration shared, a rallying call to those who have been done out of their rightful due by the “fine print” of this time in history.
“Killer”is the last song on the EP, and it is a song which builds its atmosphere through a menacing electric guitar line characterized by its slow reverb and a string of falling minor keys. This guitar line is supported by the steady beat of a bass drum which sounds similar to a step in an echoing hallway. The central theme behind the song is about killer on the loose. The song is a huge PSA to warn people about said killer. The musicality is cinematic and dark; Moule’s voice is enveloped by the echo effect, creating an otherworldly presence that is both menacing and incredibly tragic. The instrumental section grows into an avalanche of sound at the end, featuring a wonderful guitar melody. It is utterly overwhelming, leaving the audience to reflect on what they too had to give up to make it through life.
Only Love is truly a masterpiece, a revelation about an EP where a bunch of songs have lived inside Mark Moule’s creative soul for nearly twenty years. For instance, the title song itself contains the essence of a fifteen-year history, starting off from a single verse which was born inside the magical atmosphere of the dream. This album has got such timeliness which may sound somewhat scary because its lyrics and ideas are so topical and relevant now as never before. The album exudes an energetic vibe, emanating from its genesis in a personal music room of a dear friend. This is the place where all the songs were recorded without any fuss or showmanship despite the lack of facilities to support it. This process wasn’t merely the process of recording, but rather the one of learning new things together and finding new approaches in dealing with all the problems that arose along the way. Each song carries the feeling of blood, sweat, love, and tears put into every single note, which makes for an emotional listening experience. The resulting EP demonstrates the beauty of the fusion of passion and perseverance, bringing a lot of emotions and giving hope for further discoveries.
Stream the “Only Love” EP on Spotify
