Russell Joslin‘s newly released track “Streetfight” is a gripping traversal through London’s early hours and its inhabitants, through the scope of a nighttime drive. Steady guitar jangles lead an exciting pace, with synth-laden additions conjuring ’80s nostalgia.
Joslin’s vocals ascend seamlessly from suave narrations to hooky exultation, the “just another street fight,” escalation exuding a nocturnal allure with the prancing guitar twangs and moody synth reflections. The darkly entrancing guitar tones and vocal fervency resonate throughout. “Streetfight” captivates with a memorable aesthetic and consuming melodic pull, marking an excellent showing from the London-based artist.
Joslin elaborates more on the track’s creative process, below:
“The song started with the guitar part, I was using a new delay and managed to make a sound which reminded me of the police helicopters which circle South Tottenham almost every night in the early hours. From there my memory drifted to the numerous times I have seen violent situations on the street on my cab ride home from my night shifts and how that made me feel – the guilt at not doing anything to help … the strange, unspoken situation it created with the cab driver. I had to pull the melody and the arrangement out of the guitar part production-wise, I always heard it as a nocturnal driving song, I wanted to try and create that atmosphere.”
The track also releases alongside a video, created with longtime film/music/photo collaborator Ben Sommers. “Making that video was one of the most insane and unforgettable weekends of my life,” Joslin says. “I’ve never followed a video idea so unreservedly and with such abandon and it sets the tone for how I want to work from now on … doing it sober was even more of a trip. Whether it works or not, I couldn’t have done it without Ben.”
“Streetfight” includes Joslin’s long-term singing partner and fiancée Sarah McCaig (Russell Joslin & Sarah McCaig), bassist and long-time collaborator Rolfin Nyhus (High Windows, Clapton Fox), and London Symphony Orchestra flautist Alyson Frazier.
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This track and others featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of April 2022’ Spotify playlist.
