As the title would suggest, MAESON’s latest project is about a one sided affair. But, probably unlike what you’d imagine, he delves into an existing relationship where his partner and him just aren’t able to connect at the level he would like. On a more broader sense, ‘Unrequited’ is MAESON’s exploration of the challenges he faced growing up gay in a straight man’s world. Sonically combining more contemporary pop elements with a bit of neo-soul, MAESON lets his voice take centre stage in each track; a powerful anchor to steer the EP along.
The first piece, ‘Listen’, is a slow jam of an opener that rather achingly outlines the challenges MAESON faces in communicating to a partner who simply won’t reciprocate his desire to talk and listen. It’s an indirect message that he’s trying to convey to his partner, emphasizing that he wants to share things, he wants to discuss his feelings, but he’s scared that they might not be wanted or received well. The repeated ‘If I share will you listen’ is a simple yet markedly impactful line.
On ‘Clarity’, the production is far more wavy and full bodied, creating an irresistibly sensuous soundscape. The song progresses seamlessly, with each section complementing its predecessor and successor like a knot tied to perfection. A deeply introspective piece, ‘Clarity’ sees MAESON tackle shame and internalised homophobia; assessing and questioning how that impacts who and how he loves.
‘Unavailable’ is the more light hearted soundscape on the EP, with an almost playful acoustic guitar serving as the central backing instrumentation. MAESON’s vocal harmonies on the chorus make the track. Like the rest of the album, he’s crying out about a relationship that’s one sided. ‘I want to be seen, not just heard’. The electric guitar solo towards the end serves as a wonderfully cathartic outro.
MAESON’s latest EP is a collection of delectably catchy commercial pop ballads that are keenly introspective, movingly melodic, and emotionally awakening. Fans of singer-songwriter, soul, and pop would do well to give him a listen!
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