Written by: Isla Rachel (Isla Music)
You Could Be My Sanctuary promises to hypnotise you. It begins with a lilting guitar line, allowing time to send the listener into a meditative space. Freya Ward’s resonant vocals advise us to “speak once, but think twice always”. The song maintains its pensive atmosphere with the introduction of a rolling heartbeat percussion section and slide guitar. With a vocal performance like maple syrup curling from a teaspoon, You Could Be My Sanctuary is the calming presence we’re in dire need of.
Freya Ward’s songwriting can’t be faulted. Her lyrics hold an air of wisdom; they step around cliche and into sincerity. Her melodies move in unexpected directions, and her harmonies provide a point of difference through avoiding the obvious choices. These are markers of an experienced writer.
You Could Be My Sanctuary boasts an expert instrumental arrangement. This is unsurprising when Ward herself also releases instrumental music under the pseudonym Freya Lily. Ward has always created in some form or another. When she was growing up she had music “pouring out of her”, and learnt the piano when she was very young. She was “determined to be a songwriter”. This passion and experience is evident in her work. Having struggled with severe anxiety, it is interesting that Freya Ward’s music exudes a sense of calm. The battle she fought against stage fright has allowed for a maturity in her sound, and it’s possible that through these experiences she has developed coping mechanisms that allow her to reflect on her emotions.
It’s no surprise then, that Ward has been able to build the perfect soundscape for a deep breath. With the world falling apart around us we could all benefit from a little calm. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed grab your noise cancelling head phones, build a blanket fort and allow the wave of You Could Be My Sanctuary to wash over you.
Please check out my recent interviews with LANKS / CALLUM PITT / QUINN CHRISTOPHERSON / BILLY NOMATES / OLLIE CHANIN
About ‘The Sound Sniffer’
The Sound Sniffer is a music blog which is still only a baby – Founded and run by Kevin Coakley in early 2019. He is a music writer and ghostwriter. ‘The Sound Sniffer’ also runs showcases in London since Oct 2019. The showcases are picked from artists we find in our submissions inbox.
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