Myles Smith Brings Emotion to the Forefront on ‘A Minute…’ (Review)

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Starting out at the age of 9, Myles Smith has had seventeen years of practice to figure out what he wants to say with his music. The culmination of this? His latest EP, titled ‘A Minute…‘.

Smith grew up in Luton surrounded by rich cultural diversity and the vibrant music scene leaching out of the capital. He made a name for himself early on by singing covers of artists like Mumford & Sons and Ed Sheeran. His other skills include being a self-taught guitarist and pianist.

Fast forward to COVID-19 and lockdown, Smith began to share his talents with the world on social media and quickly gained popularity for his meaningful, emotion-driven covers of popular songs. He officially released his cover of The Neighbourhood’s ‘Sweater Weather‘ in February 2023. 

His singles and EPs recorded since then have epitomised the artist’s tagline: it’s okay to feel. With increasing awareness of mental health, particularly in men, this artist writes raw and emotional songs to show others how to tap into that side of themselves.

An expression of profound love, heartbreak, depression, and joy, Myles Smith bares all on ‘A Minute…‘.

Overview

We begin the project with the blossoming of a new relationship in ‘Nice To Meet You‘, before growing into an all-encompassing love in ‘Stargazing‘. Here, the complex harmonies and upbeat accompaniment merge with Smith’s lyrics to surround you with the feelings he is portraying. With this intoxicating mix, it is easy to see how the song alone has been played over 525 million times on Spotify.

‘A Minute…‘ continues with the deceptively titled ‘Waste‘. Here the fast pace of the song contrasts the sorrowful lyrics in which we hear Smith grappling with the loss of a life-changing relationship he had found. The focal point of the chorus hones in on the song’s message, “…our love won’t go to waste.”. This is a man full of sorrow and yet determined to move forward with the best lessons learnt. “If I’m honest, I still miss your face,” is such a simple line and yet summarises the importance of acknowledging your emotions at their base level.

In the second half of this EP, Smith explores the taboo emotions of depression and pain with ‘3am‘ and ‘Little By Little‘ with a similar upbeat beginning. However, the lyrics work through the emotions he feels at the end of this relationship. Unusually, the singer also explores the difficulties of supporting someone suffering from these emotions in ‘Wait For You‘. This includes poignant lines such as, “Till the light in your eyes / Reappears, I’ll be here by your side.”. For anyone who struggles with mental health such as anxiety and depression, as the Luton singer does himself, this song is a lifeline. It acknowledges how you feel, encourages you to continue the fight, and shows that someone will be there for you no matter what.

Analysis

In a similar fashion to much of today’s popular music and despite exploring emotion at a profound level, ‘A Minute…‘ tends to repeat similar themes throughout. The choruses often utilise layering in the vocal line in a direct juxtaposition to the solo style of the verses, contrasting loneliness and companionship. Additionally, the lyrics often come in lines with a break between them of a few seconds to differentiate them and let the emotion hang, rather than using more intricate ornamentation or held notes. Whilst these techniques are tried and tested due to being found in a lot of the top chart music today, I still wish for a bit more originality in the writing. 

The characteristic I struggle with most is the order of the EP overall. The first three songs begin the story of finding, cherishing, and losing love, while the latter half of the album focuses on friendship and depression. While the story can be loosely strung together, it is not coherent and well thought out. It leaves you feeling like something is missing when listening to the record as a whole. Finishing on these depressing songs is not conducive to asking the listener to return either, as Smith is so good at encasing you in the story of his songs that the earlier, happier ones are almost forgotten. 

Overall, the music here is so naturally written that you can sing along from the first listen, and the melodies are easy enough that you can do exactly that. It is a testament to male emotion, encouraging feeling and maturity. The incredible writing of Myles Smith takes your heart in hand and shows you the world with the other.

Rating: 8/10

Myles Smith is on Instagram, X, and TikTok. Read more album reviews here and stream ‘A Minute…‘ below.

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