‘Paper & Stone’ by the UK-based duo, Superbloom may not be a new song. In fact, if you’ve been reading Indie Top 39 for a few months, you may have read our write-up on the original release. This stripped-down acoustic version manages to capture completely different emotions. From the walking guitar line to harrowing strings, this new sound will capture your attention and invoke your emotions.
Powerful vocals seem to soar, pushed along by the delicacy of the string-laden texture. With the lightness of the rhythm section, the lead vocals are left on full display. Instead of shying away, however, they embrace their leading role – never losing the power that defines them. Lyrics match the energy and deepen the beauty of ‘Paper & Stone’. Through every section of the song, they manage to be introspective while still being approachable. Poetic, but digestible. They helped bring out that natural beauty, which paired with the lovely strings phenomenally. A great song, and definitely not one you’re going to want to miss.
This stripped-down acoustic version manages to capture completely different emotions.
Indie top 39
What does this song mean to you?
The song is an unplugged version of our last single, Paper & Stone. The original was one of the first songs we wrote together as a band, so it has real sentimental value. It also received high praise from several music blogs and radio stations following its release, so it’s definitely a song we hold close to our hearts.
With regards to the acoustic version, we relished the challenge of creating a song in a different style to our usual sound. Writing and arranging string parts and working with session musicians was a fresh and exciting experience for us, and it was great dusting off the acoustic guitar. We also got to catch up with our old friend Ed Sokolowski (the producer), who we used to record with when we were teenagers!
Tell us about your creative process and how the song came to be?
The original song went down really well with our fanbase and we felt there was scope to take it further, and in a different direction. We saw an opportunity to demonstrate our musical versatility and connect with a different audience.
As we wrote the arrangement of the acoustic track, we envisaged string sections mirroring some of the key melodies of the original song, but we didn’t want to follow the current trend of producing a full orchestral version. We’re really pleased with the balance we’ve struck. The elegant string parts add depth and dynamism, whilst leaving space for the core instrumentation to flourish. We learnt a lot working with such dedicated and talented session players, which made us value the experience even more.
Which Netflix series or movie would you like your music to be featured in?
We like to think of our music as being modern with retro influences, so I think it’d work well in Sex Education. Not to mention, it’s a top-class series, so we’d be chuffed to be featured!
What do you want to achieve in the next 12 months with your music?
We’ve got a lot of material already recorded which we can’t wait for people to hear, so we want to continue releasing regular content and growing our fanbase. We’re also keen to get out on the road in the new year to further promote our music and connect with our existing fans. The pandemic hit the live music industry hard, so we’re looking forward to getting out there and seeing some faces!
Make sure to connect with Superbloom on Facebook » 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.
