Showing a bright alt-pop sound, “Smile (No Fox Gibbon)” is a harmonious new single from Chandra, an artist from Bristol, UK. Catching our attention this past summer with the track “Lighters To The Sky,” Chandra shows well again with this latest success, touting self-confidence in its tongue-in-cheek title reference to “no fucks given.” Aesthetically, the effort shows shades of a (less darker) Suede and the modern pop-rock punch of The 1975.
“Just smile, like there’s no fox gibbon,” the vocals let out amidst chipper guitars, culminating with soaring appeal into the final minute. There, the title-referencing refrain builds alongside slabs of guitar into a final go-round of the “grinning,” hooky radiance. “Smile (No Fox Gibbon)” is a charming, bright rocker with a meaningful central theme, emphasizing to love oneself and ignore the haters that seem intent on sapping away positive energy. The production excels in its bright enamoring and good-vibes ethos.
Chandra elaborates on the track:
“We all have moments in our day when we unashamedly beam or uncontrollably snigger at something we’ve seen, remembered or heard. If we’re in public then that joyous moment is quickly curbed as the self-conscious part of our brain realises we’re on a bus, in the office, in a queue for a coffee or walking down a street. I am the worst for it and it’s gone on for so long that I now find the self-tempering of joy is an autonomic reaction. I wrote this song because it’s something I active want and need to improve on. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all gave a little bit less of a damn who is watching and really enjoyed those amazing moments in our day? Let’s all let go and smile like there are absolutely no f**ks given.”
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of December 2023’ Spotify playlist.
