Captivating in its moody sophisti-pop production and personal themes, “I Believe” is a resonating success from Austin, TX-based artist Alex Hartley. Dazzling in its harmonious vocal layers and evolving instrumentation, treading from solemn keys to funky guitar twangs, the track shifts from accounts of “working towards a family” to the tumult and pain apparent in the IVF process, all while culminating in a “we’re gonna make it I believe” hopefulness.
Hartley wrote the track about his and his wife’s experiences with IVF, leading to the birth of their first child. “We knew IVF would be a grueling journey but we were thrust into uncharted territory after my wife suffered a mental health crisis following our second round,” Hartley explains. “It pushed our marriage to the brink and left our family plans looking bleak. I wrote this song upon reflection about picking up the broken pieces and finding a path forward that seemingly didn’t exist.”
Conjuring an atmospheric likeness to The Blue Nile, Prefab Sprout, and Steely Dan, the production is fantastic throughout. Vocally, the shifts between visceral emotion (“nearly lost before we started”) and being a loving, hopeful partner (“I just hold your hand and love ya”) are reflective of the highs and lows, and hopes and disappointments, as this process is navigated. The from-the-heart lyricism pairs with smooth vocals and a sophisti-pop savvy for a fantastic, artistic output from Alex Hartley.
—
This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
