Reviewed by Phil Taylor (see his Music Observer blog here)
Release date: 25/10/24
Local singer-songwriter Daz Lynch has clearly found his mojo. Ahead of an album launch, he’s releasing a series of tunes which will cement him firmly in place as a stalwart of our local indie music scene.
Promise Land is the first of the series — in fact, it’s Daz’s first ever, a debut single which sounds anything but, such is the confidence it exudes.
The song (also featuring Nile Barrow who contributes warm harmonies) opens with dramatic tension, created a brooding bassline and strings; Daz could have jumped straight in but chose that gentle build instead, allowing a chord sequence to be established and announce his presence in the music world.
Once Daz does begin to sing, we feel his Britpop influences immediately, with that sweeping 90s vocal style pushed unmissably to the front of the mix. The mix of acoustic and electric guitars and the overall unhurried feel, across more than 5 minutes, embed Daz’s style further. But this isn’t merely a swaggering indie-rock copy; Daz stamps his own name clearly on the tune, allowing his own (recognisably local) vocal inflections to shine through.
There’s a nice electric guitar solo at the centre of the song, where the other instrumentation steps back to allow the strident notes to escalate. From there, we’re led down a gently winding path to the ultimate goal of the song.
“So come on take my hand, I’ll take you to the promise land…we’ll be free now”, Daz and Nile sing, and later — with a sense of hopeful discovery — “In the bright light…”
Promise Land not only hints at an exciting body of work to come, but tells us it’s already here — Daz has made his mark with this, his debut single.