Within the first few punchy plucks of a guitar, Orla Gartland’s new single ‘Kiss Ur Face Forever’ bursts out of the softer melodies that Gartland is generally known for, and emerges as a superb indie-rock song, riddled with pulpy angst and a fiery performance from Gartland herself. ‘Kiss Ur Face Forever’ reaches for the lofty heights of the crowded indie scene, and easily finds a sound that blends Gartland’s strong lyricism with raw musical energy. Even if the results might lean a bit too heavily on the unique washed-out style Sam Fender has popularised in recent years, ‘Kiss Ur Face Forever’ nevertheless crackles with personality and energetic drumbeats.
Gartland brings her always-reliable vocals to her new track, with her gorgeous Irish twang illuminating every line with idiosyncratic eccentrics that complements the distinctly British tone. She deftly imbues emotion into the song. She sounds angry and pained, and the track is only elevated by the emotions that drip from every line.
Supporting her is a comparatively more mainstream indie-rock sound that never fully breaks out of its genre mould. The confident opening guitar lines quickly lose their status behind Gartland’s commanding vocals. They fall by the wayside, when in places – especially in the chorus – they could have maintained the urgency that is felt in the opening moments of ‘Kiss Ur Face Forever’. The same can be said for the drums, that all too quickly settle into a rhythm that could have been used with some experimentation to match Gartland’s special voice.
The production of ‘Kiss Ur Face Forever’ focuses a bit too much on Gartland, and the overall sound suffers somewhat for it. For its Sam Fender-led inspirations, Gartland does not take from Fender his ability to modulate his vocals to the instruments around him. As the song barrels through and Gartland’s voice gets angrier, whilst it elevates the song to a ferocious height, it does become more a showcase for Gartland herself and less of the more cohesive single it began as.
Fortunately, this hardly blunts the overall effect of the track itself. Even if it lacks the killer edge it needed, ‘Kiss Ur Face Forever’ establishes itself as a piercing track that was made to scream as loud as you can. Gartland has not perfected the indie-rock sound, but she has made a very good stab at it here. The sentiment of the song blares proudly despite its flaws, and all that is left at its conclusion is the feeling that Gartland has just taken you on a ride that slows down for nobody.
‘Kiss Ur Face’ does not pause to ask if you are willing to jump onto its sharp wavelength, it just assumes that you will not be able resist. They are right; as its confidence and rageful style blazes a new and intriguing path for Gartland as not only a sensitive wordsmith, but a cultivator of undeniably infectious – if imperfect – indie-rock music.
Words by James Evenden
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