We don’t often feature instrumental music here at Indie Top 39 but, every so often, a song comes along that simply cannot be ignored. Remember Oscar Kowalski’s elegant and graceful piano piece? Case in point here is James Greenfield, and his incredibly beautiful and intimate new song, ‘Baseline.’ The London based multi-instrumentalist seeks to calm the listener and take away some of their stress – and who couldn’t use a bit of that right now? Taking inspiration for the global pandemic, (and heavyweights like Olafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm,) Greenfield penned the neoclassical, piano-driven tune to highlight themes like self-awareness, inner peace and true happiness. Recorded and produced by Greenfield himself, ‘Baseline’ was mastered at none other than Abbey Road Studios. It’s the fourth single from the musician’s upcoming EP entitled “Returning,” which is scheduled for release later this year. Continuously evolving and enhancing his sound, the future looks bright for James Greenfield.
A deeply moving and emotional tune, ‘Baseline’ showcases James Greenfield at his very best.
INDIE TOP 39
What does the song mean to you?
This song was born from my reflections on true happiness and fulfillment – and how we often go looking for these things in the wrong places. We often seek money, or status, or material things, and expect to be happy when we get them. The truth is that these achievements only bring us fleeting happiness, and we soon return back to how we were—before continuing the endless quest for more achievements.
But what if we could raise our awareness and find unconditional peace and fulfillment within ourselves? Our true baseline. This could allow us to live the life we are truly supposed to live; aligned with our values are our unique creativity. If we can look past our pain, past the trappings of modern society, and turn inwards, we will see that we are all incredible, unique human beings that have a special part to play in the world.
When did you realise that music is what you wanted to do?
I’ve been passionate about music all my life and have consumed an incredible array of music at gigs, concerts and clubs over the past 20 years. I decided in 2020 that it was time to take all those rich musical experiences and start expressing my own unique creativity. Fun fact – my first foray into making music professionally was when I started writing tunes and sound effects for computer games 🙂
What do you hope to achieve with this song?
I wrote and released this song at a time when we were all being subjected to the uncertainty and stress of the global pandemic. I wanted to release a record that was peaceful and hopeful and had a calming influence on the listener. If this song helps just one person reduce their anxiety and stress, then I feel like I’ve done something worthwhile.
Tell us about your creative process and how the song came to be?
My creative process is a mixed bag! Typically, I start with the piano or guitar and write the fundamental structure of the song, before often subverting it with modern music production tools. Some songs take work and you have to grind them out, but the opening piano riff for this song just arrived one day like magic! I love those moments in music – when you just feel like a vessel and the music is being channeled through you.
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Make sure to connect with James Greenfield on Instagram
Now you can listen to all the 39 songs in one place, right here on Spotify!
This coverage was created in collaboration with Musosoup as part of the #SustainableCurator movement.
