Avid readers of this blog may recognize The Bergamot’s Nathaniel Hoff from his solo efforts as Nathaniel Paul. This time around, Hoff joins forces with his wife, Jillian Speece, for the indie pop duo’s latest single, Burns. Together, their exquisite vocal harmonies and smooth, serene melodies make this track a standout.
The prevailing theme of this song is distance within a relationship. It can either be a physical or emotional distance that is between the two vocalists. Whichever it may be, the emotion is palpable in the duo’s vocals, especially when the chorus opens with “I want to hold you even when you’re far away.”
In turn, Hoff and Speece try to maintain their distance in the middle portion of the chorus. The duo respond to each other with “I want to believe you when you say you’re here to stay.” In the end, skepticism is met with an affirmative response in the form of “I’m here to stay no matter what you say.”
Throughout this track, the melody maintains a steady beat that further emphasizes its contemplative feel. At times, an indie folk vibe makes an appearance from underneath the subtle, pop melody. In contrast to the softer, pop sound, this helps give the track more bite.
Hoff and Speece find themselves on common ground with their closing duet, singing “lovely days are here to stay and I won’t take it any other way.” The melody fades away, leaving their exceptional vocals to echo on by themselves. As it should be, “Burns” ends with the duo’s vocals taking front and center.
“Burns” is a well crafted track that is carried by Hoff and Speece’s beautiful harmonies. It speaks well to the push and pull within a relationship. This sublime cut is more than enough to whet the listener’s appetite in advance of the Spring 2022 release of The Bergamot”s “State of the Unity” album.
Written by Travis Boyer
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