Kieran Dobson - Divided

BIMM Manchester Weekly Features 1st Issue

You’re at a bar. The sun is beating down on yellow-tinged grass, reflected in a cool-looking lake some unreachable distance away from the front doors, which are swung open hopefully to invite any sort of breeze into the old, countryside haunt. But instead of getting woody, or smoky, or whatever scent wine-tasters make up about posh country wine, you get a rising indie chord progression, a hit of 80s pop bassline and an intense, cutting voice reminiscent of Billy Talent criticising you – drinker - while you stare into said glass, bewildered as to why it is singing at you.

Unlike high-brow wine tasting, Kieran Dobson’s stylistic and tasteful creative decisions are paramount in imprinting his unique sound on the core of his music. With his third single, the BIMM alumni is keen to bring his wide mix of influences to combat ‘the danger of opinion’ and other classic societal issues in single ‘Divided’.

Reeling verses are followed by building bridges, climaxing in spookily melodic choruses in which Dobsonrepeatedly draws the listener’s attention to the meaning of Divided. His rasping tones dramatize the grilling of ‘the age of lunacy’. While the instrumental sounds indicate a classic guitar, bass, drums and vocals ensemble, Divided is layered with additional textural synths and backing vocals which aid the builds and chorus harmonies.

Dobson is self-assured and daring in a broad assault on both traditional song-writing and poetic justice with an ambitious narrative project spanning digital and classic instrumentation to tell a story of modern failure.