Grief has been defined as “love that has nowhere to go,” and the heaviest part of it may be within its first stage: denial.
If that’s the theme of your debut single, it’s a heavy first step. The cross-city duo of Saint John’s Adam Dincorn and Moncton’s Aryelle Morrison, collectively known as A.D.A.M., felt up to the task in their debut single “Don’t Say It.”
“Real instruments are the focus usually,” says Dincorn, who also notes that the majority of the duo’s single is not pre-programmed, but instead physically played live on a keyboard.
Delicate synth pads and teardrop-light hat drums carry the gentle, sombre core of the track, while a few bouncier synths keep springing up as the tune goes on. The latter component is particularly curious, as it doesn’t fit particularly well with the tune’s overall vibe of melancholic pining. This, however, could very well be interpreted as a parallel to how the two lovers in the song’s question do not fit well together, or perhaps as the ultimate good that the breakup will do in spite of the initial pain it may cause.
Either way, Dincorn’s collection of bells and whistles captures the pain felt by our protagonist excellently, and overall makes for an incredibly pleasing result.
And this is all before Morrison comes in to fill the role of said protagonist. The Moncton-based lyricist pulls off the vibe perfectly; soft enough to resonate with the crestfallen feel of the song, but also burning with an intensity that makes such a feeling impossible to ignore or take for granted.
“I was thrilled when [Dincorn] sent me this track to collaborate on,” says Morrison. “It’s not like anything I’ve done before, so it was awesome to immerse myself in this new style.”
“It’s about the truths we feel long before we have the strength to fully acknowledge them.”
Dincorn also touched on his inspiration for electronic music in the form of renowned electronica producer Kaskade.
“His music had a dance beat but was also highly melodic and had no ‘breaking-machine sounds.’ I researched but could not find many other artists with quite the same sound; with songwriting sensibilities. So, I thought to myself ‘Maybe I can do it?’”
Take it from me, Adam; you certainly can do it. With Aryelle Morrison at your side, A.D.A.M. is definitely a force to be reckoned with.