There’s a wealth of musical gifts rising out of SpaceWind’s single “Now & Forever”. This talented young Japanese singer/songwriter brings dramatic percussion, electronic instruments of various stripes, guitar, and even piano together with her first class vocals to create a melodic jewel that attentive listeners will recognize as something special seconds into the recording. It is out great fortune this young performing artist is interested in far more than creating shallow entertainment for her audience; her vocal alone conveys an universe of feeling and, even if you do not speak or understand Japanese, you will find yourself stirred by the obvious commitment she gives to each line. She has the phrasing talents of a much older, yet still inspired, performer and sings to serve the song rather than steal the spotlight for herself.
BEAT PORT: https://www.beatport.com/artist/spacewind/500096
The majority of “Now & Forever” is musically carried by the electronic instruments and guitar. I thought it a little surprising she gives the guitar such a prime position in the mix, even affording it a short but vivid solo spot, but Japanese music fans have always harbored a love for the dramatic qualities well played guitar can bring to a variety of musical styles. The synthesizers emit a great deal of warmth throughout the track and sweep listeners along on a tide of color of sound without ever coming off as heavy handed and the piano peeking through at various points during the recording underlines the song’s melodic touch.
The lyrics are almost beside the point. Though I read a translation of the content provided for reviewing purposes, I cannot overstress what I said earlier in this review – you don’t need to know the language to feel moved by her singing. I write “almost beside the point”, however, because it is notable that rather than belaboring the tried and true subject matter of male/female relationships, “Now & Forever” instead refers to something much different. This is a song, for me, about self-realization and appreciating your place in the life’s larger scheme. Bear my words in mind when you listen to this track and, like myself, you may find yourself elevated by its ethereal lift.
I-TUNES: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/spacewind/281993141
Accomplishing this much in a little less than four and a half minutes attests to how fleshed out this song stood for SpaceWind before she committed even a second to recording the track. It has an effortless mid-tempo push and seems near orchestral at key moments. She has a clear understanding of how the dynamics of sound can manipulate a listener’s reaction to music and milks it for all its worth. “Now & Forever” deserves global recognition for this skilled performing artist and I can write with utter confidence that we will be hearing more from her in coming years. There is an indefinable quality about this track suggesting she has scratched the surface of her talents and we haven’t even heard the full breadth of what she is capable of. It will be quite a ride from this point for anyone following her.
Jamie Morse
The music of SPACEWIND has been heard all over the world due to the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Records. Learn more – https://musikandfilm.com