Worlds apart from his stripped back folk inspired If A Heavy Rain Shall Fall EP, Tom Lockett’s latest single Fly With Me marks a triumphant return for the Stoke-on-Trent singer-songwriter following his 15-month hiatus.
The fifth release through his own Magic Cactus label, Fly With Me is his first single since October 2022, and those influences we saw creeping in to Try To Fall In Love and You Do Something have truly come into their own.
Speaking on his latest single, Tom explained the arrival of his new-found musical era. “I just release whatever I am into at the time I suppose. In 2016-2017 I was listening to a lot of old folk and country music, so I fancied releasing something like that,” he told The Leopheard. “Recently I had been listening to a lot of 90s stuff, which is what I grew up with but hadn’t really listened to in years, so I decided to do this one with that kind of feel.”
Fly With Me is such a huge-sounding track with a seamless blend of instruments and sounds, ranging from vibraphones and harpsichords to overdriven electric pianos, that meld to curate something that is somewhere between 90s Britpop, electronica and 60s Psychedelic Rock. The track carries an infectious energy and melodic sensibilities with catchy lines like “don’t criticise what you don’t understand”, Tom’s vocals sitting forward in the mix adding to the expansive psychedelic atmosphere.
There’s so much packed into the instrumentation, but it’s not at all crowded, either, which is testament to Lockett’s ability to balance these diverse elements while still pushing boundaries within his artistry.
With its shimmering soundscapes, intricate melodies and psychedelic-Britpop blended vocals, Fly With Me is a sonic kaleidoscope that showcases Lockett’s ability to reinvent himself and effortlessly evolve his sound.
And with any luck, Fly With Me isn’t the last we’ll hear from Lockett this year, either, with some other singles in the pipeline for 2024. “I am the laziest person ever when it comes to putting my songs out,” he explained. “And after not releasing anything in 2023 I wanted to get a record out early, and hopefully then I will be able to get more than one or two out this year.”
You heard it here first, Tom Lockett is not just back – he’s soaring to new heights. Listen to Fly With Me, released January 26, 2024 here:
