Aloof – Trey Connor (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Ahead of a four-track ep to follow, Trey Connor has released Aloof, an infectious and effective piece of indie-pop. Not only is it an addictive slice of contemporary music, but it also has some wonderful hidden depths. Aloof, and indeed the rest of the e.p. that it features on, tackles the very real and always relevant issue of mental health issues and in doing so can add terms such as poignant and purposefully to describe its lyrical content as readily as it attracts terms such as elegant and eloquent to describe its music. Specifically, it deals with struggling with the feeling of dissociation and being so caught up in your own thoughts and feelings that you feel removed from the world around you. A state of mind that often makes people seem apart from society, perhaps even anti-social or aloof.

The art of making powerful music, powerful in the sense of being important rather than meaning loud and impactful, after all, anyone can do that, is to deliver the message seductively. As Aloof lilts along, swirling with melody, charming and chiming, shimmering and full of warm haze, it does just that, appearing like just another pop song. But it is more than that, it has hidden depths and something to say, there is a deftness and delicacy in the way that its tones and textures are woven together but it stands apart because of the subject matter that it bravely deals with.

Thankfully, we live at a time where music, even pop music, has moved on from throwaway deliveries and vacuous content. Some of it at least. Aloof is the classic example of just how smart pop music can be in the right hands. Taking the infectious traits of more mainstream musical realms and the cool sheen of the indie scene, it is both popular and worthy, able to appeal to the average pop picker and those looking for music with a bit more meaning alike.

Definitely a case of come for the groove, stay for the message. It seems that music can be both smart and popular? Who knew? Trey Connor, that’s who.