Canadian singer-songwriter Cat Clyde’s latest single, ‘I Feel It’, is a gorgeous piece of work, a song to get lost in. Immediately, we are absorbed by the sombre piano tones and notes and then, when she begins to sing, it’s utterly beautiful. The vocal performance is desolate, emotional and follows an engaging melody. By the end, the rumbling instrumentation in the background is incredibly atmospheric. Lyrically, ‘I Feel It’ is sensitive, intimate and poetic: “Well time it turns me and burns me and I get stranded on the side // So I shove off land, open hand, no plan take me with the tide.” The sense of nostalgic reflection is reinforced by the video, which features footage designed to look like old, worn tape, both the scenes of Clyde performing and singing and the images of outdoor locations. It seems to take her out of time, perfect for this timeless music.
‘I Feel It’ is the latest single from Clyde’s forthcoming new album, ‘Down Rounder’, which is due out on 17th February 2023. When writing, Clyde finds a connection between her spiritual centre and the natural world that informs her songs. She explains: “Connecting with the natural environment around me inspired a lot of these songs, and sonically I feel like this record is very grounded as a result. I wanted these songs to sound raw and rough, but also placed-together in a way that created—a simple beauty, like the changing seasons or a setting sun.” She chose to include two earlier recordings – ‘I Feel It’ and ‘The Gloom’ – because, “I wanted to still have that isolated perspective somewhere in the album, and those recordings still came together within the larger whole, too.” It’s her first proper solo release since 2019’s ‘Hunters Trance’ and, since that album, her songs have amassed millions of streams. As well as releasing the new record, Clyde has a busy time ahead as she’ll be touring the UK with Lissie and opening for Bonny Light Horseman at Celtic Connections in February. Check it out.
Beautiful song – thanks for including it here.