San Mei – Wars

  San Mei – Wars

San Mei is the performing moniker of Gold Coast based Emily Hamilton. First coming to the fore with her self-produced single ‘Brighter’ in the dying weeks of summer last year, the solo artist returns in 2014 with sophomore single ‘Wars’, forming the third release from London label Tidal Wave. Tidal Wave is a relatively new label, with two artists on their roster (San Mei & Brighton-based Dog In The Snow) who aim to “bring back the fun” to music.

The digital age has created a new generation of bedroom producers. Where rock/punk/grunge bands ruled the home-made roost, laptops and self-production are becoming more and more significant. Beginning as a bedroom solo project, San Mei is building a reputation for combining dreamy vocals, lo-fi beats and summery rhythms, creating stylish, homemade, synth-pop that leaves the listener craving more.

With a distinctly warm vibe evident through the use of fuzzy synths and a heart-on-sleeve attitude, ‘Wars’ is a song written about the brutal honesty of an individual, even when their honesty causes controversy. This trait is clearly admired by Hamilton, as witnessed in the lyrics “can we be honest, can I say / you might lose the other ones / but I like the wars you make“.

All in all, ‘Wars’ makes for an impressive sequel to a well-received debut. In the internet-based world and its rapid rotation of tracks, this sticks for all the right reasons.