“There’s a chance he might draw comparisons to Lewis Capaldi because us critics can be a lazy bunch, but Smith has a very different sound – darker, moodier – and his vocals have a nice gravelly quality.” – The Independent
“This is weighty, folk-influenced stuff. Think Parachutes era Coldplay with John Mayer in his more earnest moments thrown it…Smith’s ear for a chorus and powerful voice make a very potent combination.” – HMV – Next Big Thing
“Smith’s vocal style has a strong echo of Chris Martin and the single’s piano infusion will certainly appeal to fans of early Coldplay, not to mention Keane.” –
The Scotsman – Under The Radar
“Spine-tingling” – Euphoria Magazine
LISTEN TO ‘FOR MY FATHER EP’ HERE – Platoon.lnk.to/formyfather
Listen to ‘Unconditional’ HERE – https://open.spotify.com/track/2SSwlNE1JKhLZAjtKjxg6O?si=v2ZiLLkzQhW-v2MJ8hHcRw
Following on from his recent comeback singles ‘Brother’ and ‘Your Turn Now’, hotly-tipped Scottish singer-songwriter Aaron Smith has now returned to share his highly-anticipated second EP ‘For My Father’, which includes the smooth and sombre lead single ‘Unconditional’ which features guest vocals from Holly Humberstone.
Much like the offerings unveiled so far, ‘Unconditional’ aims to confront the demons that haunted his adolescence and how, as an adult, he can reflect on those experiences and use his songwriting to truly express the impact that those times have had on him. This new release is more of a love letter to those that he cares about most in his life. Written during an isolated period in his life, he looks to show just how much he cares about those around him and how he has grown to appreciate human connections in his life.
Speaking about the track, Aaron said, “When I wrote Unconditional it was a time where I was away from my loved ones constantly and it was quite hard. It was kind of my letter to them saying that I’m okay and that we are still close. I’ve always been very close with family so not seeing them was quite tough.”
The new EP ‘For My Father’ was recorded and produced with Joe Rubel, with the exception of ‘Brother’, which was recorded by Ed Tullet (who works/performs with Novo Amor) and was co-produced by Ed and Joe. Grammy and Mercury Prize-shortlisted Mix & Mastering engineer Prash mastered the EP.
‘For My Father’ Tracklist:
- Unconditional
- Brother
- Your Turn Now
- Doubts
In July 2019 Aaron Smith created quite a stir with the release of this debut single ‘Unspoken’, which featured in the #1 spot on both Spotify UK New Music Friday and Apple Music’s ‘Best of the Week’ playlists, pipping both Beyoncé and Sam Smith to the post. ‘Unspoken’ has gone on to clock up over 21 million streams worldwide. Early in 2020 Aaron recorded an acoustic version of the single for BBC Scotland in his hometown of Polmont. Watch it here
The release of his debut single ‘Unspoken’, created a groundswell of industry interest from the likes of Music Business Worldwide and Music Ally. It featured on BBC Radio 1’s ‘Best New Pop Songs’ for August 2019 and in numerous Spotify and Apple Music playlists including ‘The Most Beautiful Songs in The World’, ‘The A-List: New Artists’, ‘Pop Right Now’ and ‘Future Hit, and saw him tipped by tastemakers including The Scotsman, The Independent and HMV as the latter’s their Next Big Thing.
Aaron’s stunning follow up single ‘Better Than You Loved Me’ featured on debut EP ‘Loveless’, which also included two more beautiful tracks ‘In My Way’ and ‘Better Man’. ‘Better Than You Loved Me’ was accompanied by a highly emotive and incredibly powerful video directed by award winning film director/writer Ross Syner which touches on the very sensitive subject of domestic abuse. Watch ‘Better Than You Loved Me’ video HERE
Earlier this year Aaron Smith took to the stage for Stand Up To Cancer at Union Chapel alongside; Maisie Peters, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Marika Hackman, White Lies and Kitt Philippa. Not to mention sold-out headline shows in London and Glasgow in March 2020.
Aaron Smith’s music sounds so bucolic, so natural, that it encourages you to think of something beautiful, almost pastoral. The reality, though, is a little harsher. The songwriter’s journey, his experiences of both love and trauma, fuel his music.
Picking up the guitar following a bout of friendly competition with his cousin, Aaron became infatuated with music; later, he discovered a makeshift studio in a dusty corner of his school’s music department, and began sketching out songs – simple, at first, but then more complex, more confident. “It wasn’t great, but it was workable,” he recalls. “I was self-taught, really. I wrote my first song when I was 14, put it on Facebook, and started from there. That’s how I discovered I could write songs.”
2020 will see Aaron release more new music. Keep up with him on his socials for more music, updates, and additional exciting news to be announced.
https://www.facebook.com/aaronsmithsmusic
