Blending the soothing qualities of soul, the simple, though far from simplistic, approach of traditional folk and a certain pop accessibility…not to mention hints of gospel and blues, Lifeline is an oasis of sweetness and light in a world of overly earnest pop-pushers and cliched rock bravado. Mutlu is clearly someone who understands music’s past but more importantly knows how to use that knowledge to create music which moves things forward. For all the above touch stones I have mentioned above, this is no mere plundering of past glories, more an understanding that certainly if it aint broke don’t fix it but also that doesn’t mean that you can’t dismantle it and rearrange the building blocks in new and interesting ways.
And the most utilised building block of all is the one that most people miss…space. Between the dulcet tones, the simple beats, the bubbling riffs and the sumptuous backing harmonies there is so much space, space that allows the few musical elements that he does employ to be doubly effective, double meaningful and doubly mellifluous. Less is more? Of course it is and if ever you need the proof…
