For the past year, singer-songwriter Harry Mackie has been taking the Manchester Music scene to create a name for himself. The 20 year-old artist, has already teased his new single 'The Middle' to multiple crowds at a local jam night down in the Printworks, amongst a series of live opportunities and events. As well as posting an IGTV video of the song, being played acoustically by himself in a public open space in local Manchester back in April. However it should be noted that this is not his first time releasing a song, so the young artist has some knowledge behind releasing his music.
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Album Artwork - Ben Lockett
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His first two singles 'Bury Me' and 'Give Me It All' have come to be popular releases amidst his fans and have gained, more popularity as time has gone on, leaving fans slowly aching for more. Within the short amount of time since 'The Middle' has been made public, it has achieved a lot of talk amid his fanbase and other artists.
'The Middle', is your run of the mill summer feeling tune, that makes you want to dance. It's rooted sound stems from one of the worlds most emblematic genres... Jazz, which comes prominently from the smooth waves of the saxophone. More importantly though, Harry has added his own flair and modern-day twist to these sounds and created something versatile and approachable for a vast audience. Not only has he married some of the most nostalgic sounds together; but the pop of the saxophone strongly pins this song as one of the grooviest tunes, 2020 has had the pleasure of getting. Although Mackie is meticulous for delivering such a rich sound, his attention to detail on this track has been one of the many reasons he is gaining so much traction. Unlike many young musicians, he has found his sound and found the juiciest ways to deliver; making his hardcore fans incredibly satisfied.
It must be said that, the time and effort that has been put into this track is apparent but certainly not surprising. The way that the welcoming jazz-esque intro meets the exceptional vocals and the characteristics of the drums is a pleasing listen. Harry has a breathtaking voice and the slow pace of the song makes that shine. Nevertheless the biggest point of change in the song is by far the bridge; where the change of tone becomes apparent but invigoratingly so. The bridge does not mask or hinder the quality of the song in any way but the instrumental break draws the audience's attention to something other than the lyrics. This short break allows the listener to re-evaluate the song and bring back their focus for the remainder of the song.
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| Photo Credits - Jack Lewis (@jack_lewis_photography) |
To sum this single up...it is a ridiculously catchy, and wonderfully funky tune, that allows the vocals to be the shinning star without it being overpowering. Straight from the get go, the musical intro and the abrupt outro gives an overwhelming sense of personality and is what draws you in to the song immediately. Harry's stunning vocals make this track fresh, innovative, modern yet inviting which for a young artist like himself is hard to achieve. He has poured the emotion of his personal experiences into a song that speaks volumes to a varied audience with its indie characteristics and its Jazz sounds, but like many songs the meaning is open to the listeners interpretation. It is clear that the song has been written this way, to grasp the audiences appreciation but it does not do it in such a way that is estranging the listener. It can be safely said that this is something that Harry himself and the incredible talented people he worked with should be proud of, as this track is nothing short of extraordinary. A rather enjoyable track for sure.
The Middle is available to stream on all platforms now!
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