Review: "Acid Rain" by Thomston

Not even the best old high school movies could impersonate the feeling that Thomston's new song, "Acid Rain," carries.

The 23-year-old songwriter from New Zealand came back after two years with an original song that talks about a toxic relationship that left a trace of disappointment in the artist's life.

"When you fell / from the sky / I felt the burning in my eyes, drove me insane / I thought that you were holy water but you were just acid rain."

It is not overproduced. It is fairly simple melodically and instrumentally. The hypnotic voice of Thomston (pronounced "Tomstin") resembles an infinite vortex; his vocals are clear and limpid, and this tricks the listener into thinking that the song is a giddy track about the advantages of being in love.

The guitar is deconstructed in singular and isolated chords, making the repetitive effect last until the end of the song. The leitmotif of this song is for sure Thomston's voice, as well as the nimbleness the singer sings with. The opening of the song, after the first stanza, is perfectly rendered thanks to the addition of a light choir in the background and the acceleration of the musical phrasing.

The end of the track is composed of a loop of claps and the explosion of electronic and artificial sounds. Here they seem the most natural and eligible elements, considering the magnitude of this bubbly yet melancholic song.

There has been a step forward in Thomston's style and lyrics, perfectly visible in this blaze of sounds and echoes. The fact that the song starts with the actual chorus is very interesting, and it is also noticeable how the instruments grow in intensity alongside the emotional investment of the singer; as the production grows, the personal involvement augments too.

The simplicity and spontaneity here show through the positive flatness of Thomston's voice, and the positively underproduced instrumental confer this song with a magical aura, making it one of my personal favourites.

Leaving behind unnecessary sounds and vocal effects is often a merit, and it also has to be said that the same goes for toxic relationships and people.