Rarely is a song so instantly charming that you're sold before listening to the entire thing. Dominic Breen's new track 'Lovelost' was added to my Spotify library roughly 45 seconds in and somehow snuck its way into my Spotify Wrapped Top Songs 2020 playlist, despite it only being released a few weeks beforehand. If that isn't an indictment of a good song, what is?
A rollicking rattle of drums sets the stage for the burst of broad colour Breen paints with his opening instrumentals, buoying up his listener so we are too hyped up to sweep aside the rich monologue he launches into regarding love being a cancer. Fun! The effervescent quality spilling over the brim of this tune can't even be dimmed by Breen's occasionally dour interjections, helpfully shouting over his own singing with cries of "Misery!" and "Prisoner!" – frankly, they make you smile even more.
There is a rugged, inherently Australian twinge to the delivery of Breen's lyrics, calling to mind the winsome sound of Paul Kelly, though the two are not exactly similar. Serving impressively as multi-instrumentalist, Breen put together almost the the entire track by himself in Tom Fitz's (of Middle Kids fame) home studio.
'Lovelost' is a compelling mixture of opposing spirits; downtrodden personal melancholy dressed as a vivacious, jangly bop, Breen's low, deep-reaching vocals doused in a bubbling summer shine.
Breen describes the song as expressing the same dichotomy.
“It’s a sad song in disguise. It’s a photo of woe put through the Happiness filter. I wanted a song about hopelessness and uncertainty to sound bright and confident,” he said.
Two acclaimed EP's and two years after his first venture into musical realms, the native Sydney-sider has honed his sound into something both classic and fresh that has a little something for everyone. Breen's broadening appeal, especially if he continues with releases in the same vein as 'Lovelost', is likely to zoom him through the charts, zipping him out of small venues into stadium arenas and the ears of the masses in no time at all.
His debut album is set to be released in early 2021.