Sydney artist Roderick Smith works under the project North Arm and we are honoured here at Backseat Mafia to premiere his new single and video ‘Bring The Daylight’.
Soft as a Sydney breeze skipping across the waters of Sydney Harbour, and with a dappled sunshine light, this is an absolutely gorgeous, reflective track bursting with a sense of melancholy and quiet resolve. Smith repeats the line ‘I’m coming home’: an expression itself that would launch a thousand ships of longing and memories.
There’s only one reason to stay at home, when you’re not alone, we hold each other’s hands in the night, helps me to bring the daylight, to bring the daylight
There is a hypnotic thrum underneath the yearning vocals, a gentleness that is at both calming and heartbreaking. Think of the gentle observational style of Belle and Sebastian, the chiming rhythms of The Go-Betweens and the folk-tinged style of Sufjan Stevens and you approach the sparkling levels of North Arm.
The accompanying video, directed by Tim Baker, evocatively captures the restlessness of the traveller torn between the beauty of the landscapes and the desire for home, filmed on Dharawal Country in the beautiful South Coast. Baker says:
I was listening to the track every morning whilst driving, searching for inspiration, I realised that documenting the drive itself would emulate the vibe of the track perfectly. I wanted to create a karaoke style video that captured the feeling I get when I turn off the highway and round the bends on my way home which reflects the repeated mantra of the outro. It’s a beautiful track that brings a warmth and nostalgia that had to be portrayed on film.
This is epically breathtaking and evocative combination of the sounds and visions that capture endless motion and return:
The single ‘Bring The Daylight is out on 9 September 2021 via Broken Stone Records/Remote Control Records on Bandcamp, and all streaming services. It will be the title track for North Arm’s new album, due out on 15 October 2021.
