On "Gravitational," Newton Faulkner changes the script again, plunging us into a world of synths, vocoders, and whimsy without apology. To those who know him as the barefoot acoustic troubadour, Faulkner demonstrates that he's much more than wood and strings; he's a sonic shape-shifter amid a tremendous creative renaissance. In "Gravitational," Faulkner doesn't bend genres so much as he hovers aloof from them.
Lifted from his forthcoming record, "OCTOPUS," "Gravitational" is a shining plunge into electronic pop that's both surprising and precisely what the doctor ordered. The song starts strong, with a cool pulse that suggests introspection and then jumps into a buoyant, slightly tense chorus that radiates romance and the lightest of vulnerability. A dreamy bridge widens the atmosphere, finally dropping into a grand, satisfying finish that is impossible not to jump around to.
"I got to use all my toys, even my vocoder," Faulkner says, obviously relishing the unbridled sense of creative freedom. An infectious energy is baked into every beat, and it's apparent that "Gravitational" is as much about having a good time as it is about artistic growth. Memories may grip fans, but this is Faulkner unshackled, touching upon his rich vein of musicianship with a contemporary twist. It is a bold, bouncy step forward, and it lands with style.
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