AUTUMN, STILL [REVIEW]

With the most impeccable of timing, Madelaine De Leon (@madelaine.deleon) closes out summer with her aptly titled dreamy bop Autumn, Still. A trance-like ode to seasonal change (Keats who?) the debut single is a delicately crafted testament to de Leon’s artistry. The track was produced by Kyoga (@kyogamusic) and mixed/mastered by Deja Miru (@dejamiru). 

Autumn, Still artwork

(Image Credit: Photography by Paulina Piekacz and Jasmine Miranda)

De Leon notes that the song is about feeling comfortable in the ‘in-between’ - “Don’t get me wrong, this song is also about how much I hate Winter and want to stay in the happy medium that Autumn provides. But hey, seasons change for a reason”. Autumn, Still is a sentimental track about wanting to fix the wrongs of the past, whilst struggling to change. 

The debut single is a must-listen for fans of Lizzy McAlpine and Norah Jones. Featuring a cosy sonic palette, Autumn, Still feels exactly like the cover artwork looks. The production is simple yet organic. De Leon works natural sounds into the corners of the track, creating a track that exudes character.

‘tried to turn them over but they’re all brown’

(Image Credit: Photography by Paulina Piekacz and Jasmine Miranda)

Despite the vocal confidence present in De Leon’s single, the artist wasn’t always so convicted in her craft. A chance encounter with the 2004 film Juno and eventually the ukulele solidified the songstress’ musical identity. Songwriting was used by De Leon as a regenerative mechanism to combat medical struggles among other things, resulting in music that oozes with warmth.

What’s next for De Leon? Hopefully more frequent releases than seasonal changes, but if Autumn, Still is anything to go by, quality over quantity is not such a bad approach. 

Stream Autumn, Still here.