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Singapore’s Hourstone has established a reputation as one of the world’s most thoughtful songwriters for good reason. He traces the birth, as it were, of his art back to the death of his father as a young boy. It propelled the young Hourstone to search for catharsis through art and blossomed into the musical works we enjoy from him today. His new single “Carry You (Like I Do)” harkens back to that pivotal event in the songwriter’s life without ever, for even a second, wallowing in useless despair. Transmuting these overwhelming tragedies into art is the hallmark of durable work that communicates long past the first listen. It helps such creativity stand in constant renewal, you come to it with fresh ears each time, rather than disposable fluff you’ve largely forgotten thirty minutes after the first hearing.
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You will strain to try to identify someone in the modern pop landscape that you can compare with Hourstone. Don’t try. We are in familiar ground, make no mistake, but Hourstone’s compositional gifts take pop balladry, rock, and even a smattering of progressive rock, blend it into an unique concoction, and serve it up without losing appeal. It’s distinctive and never sounds disjointed despite the collision of those aforementioned styles. Hourstone merges his stylistic predictions into an unified whole that bears far more than a single listen.
It’s initially anchored by little more than Hourstone’s voice and piano. The plaintive tenor of Hourstone’s vocals possesses a degree of theatricality without ever sounding melodramatic. Considering the personal nature of the song, underplaying the devastation left behind by the death of his father is a truly impressive feat. He doesn’t succumb to shortcuts but, instead, depicts the swirl of emotions in the wake of his passing with resolute fearlessness.
He’s supported by able backing musicians the entire way. The song’s guitar work, in particular, further elevates the dramatic qualities of the performance without ever sacrificing its intimacy. Hourstone’s music video for “Carry You (Like I Do)” adds another layer to the experience. This evocatively filmed promotional clip helps further flesh out the song’s underlying narrative without ever overshadowing the track.
The actors, costuming, and use of color are sympathetic to the performance. It’s artistic without ever looking artsy and eschews several of the standard tropes found in such fare. It doesn’t attempt to remake the form but, instead, Hourstone superbly utilizes it as a vehicle for self-expression. This new single from the Singapore-based singer/songwriter is a formidable and serious-minded attempt to grapple with loss, grief, and the resulting fallout in an honest and deeply felt manner.
It cheapens nothing. Instead, it is an intensely human effort that spares no energy in its attempt to make sense out of an event that continues to echo throughout Hourstone’s life. Many will relate to it and, even if they haven’t experienced the same cataclysmic loss, it will arouse the empathy of countless listeners. Along with its other assorted strengths, the emotional power of Hourstone’s “Carry You (Like I Do)” makes it one of 2023’s must-hear singles.
Jennifer Munoz
