#heartbeatsslow

Girl, you're just a child Falling in love

Can I take you home? Can I take you home? We can go anywhere you wanna go Can I take you high? Till the moon in the sky? We can go as far as you wanna go

Angus & Julia Stone - "Heart Beats Slow" 

Angus and Julia Stone are an Austrailian brother and sister duo. I stumbled across these two after reading up on superstar producer Rick Rubin. 

Quick rundown on Rick Rubin: He founded defjamblr records in his dorm room. He's been behind the early rap albums from the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J, fast forward to today where he's produced the likes of Johnny Cash, Jay-Z, Adele, and Kanye West to name a few. Also, he's got a huge beard. 

(I recommend checking out this great interview by the BBC's Zane Lowe about Rick Rubin and the famous Shangri-La Studio in Malibu if you want to know more.)

So when Rick Rubin described Angus and Julia Stone like this:

 "It’s few and far between that I hear something that really excites me. I heard their music and it really moved me. They make the kind of songs that I can listen to over and over again for a long period of time" 

Then you know you've gotta check them out. 

Their 2014 self-titled album is produced by Rubin and the whole record sounds excellent front to back. Listen to it through quality earphones or on vinyl. This track, however, stood out. 

It starts off with some bland sounding chords strummed on an electric guitar. I know you're thinking "This sounds like every average indie rock song". Hold on and keep listening. The pay-off, as for much of the album, is in the subtlety.

Notice their two voices. Notice how Angus and Julia start and finish each other's lines. Notice how their voices are distinct on the verses, but complimentary when they sing together on the chorus. Notice how Angus sounds sincere when he sings "Well I wish you, wish you well" but there's a brief tone of sarcasm when it's Julia's turn.