Singer-songwriter and musician Aaron Taylor has been a mainstay in the British soul scene since his breakout 2016 EP “Still Life”, and has gone strength to strength since then, unveiling rich, assured and expressive work consistently. In April, he shared his latest body of tracks in the form of “HAVE A NICE DAY!”, which received critical acclaim.
He returns with an augmentation of the project today, with a deluxe version of the impressive EP now released. Featuring heavy-hitting singles like “Ebbs and Flows” and “Coffee in the Morning”, the additional tracks continue the sonic ethos and conceptual nuance of the tracklist, with the hopeful tone and lyricism flowing through the new offerings. One of the new offerings, “Can’t Be Bothered”, features a slick feature from US rapper Kota the Friend, with the pair illustrating great musical chemistry on the cut.
To celebrate the release, Taylor takes us through the deluxe EP, track by track…
Listen to the EP…
“HAVE A NICE DAY!”
“HAVE A NICE DAY!” began as a musical interlude that I initially didn’t think could ever be a full song. Everyone I played it to however wanted to hear more so that encouraged me to dig deep into trying to write something I was happy with. I’ve always wanted my music to have a feel good factor and songs don’t get much more feel good than this. It’s a message to myself on my down days to keep going and, in that spirit, I’m super proud to have been the sole producer and writer on it – just to remind me of what can be achieved.
“Ebbs and Flows”
“Ebbs and Flows” is a song that sums up how life was for me over lockdown. I didn’t get up to all that much but also was OK with that. It’s about being content with the ups and downs of life and not breaking to the pressure of having to feel busy or purposeful.
“Patience” ft. Madison Ryann Ward
I was sent a rough instrumental to Patience and it was one of the first times I wanted to write on something I hadn’t made from scratch. Lyrically it taps into the frustration I can feel as someone with high ambitions and was another reminder to self to be OK with the pace of life. Musically it taps into my gospel roots and I think Madison Ryann Ward is one of my favourite singers of today, so it’s really special having her contribute vocals to it.
“Joy Inside”
“Joy Inside” was written whilst holding my son in my arms and trying to evaluate how I felt despite tiredness and sleepless nights. There’s an indescribable joy that underlies all of the hurdles of parenthood. I wanted to write about how I felt about fatherhood and it was beautiful to again have a choir and my sons’ mother contribute vocals to the song.
“Coffee in the Morning”
“Coffee in the Morning” describes wanting to be everything to a person, an indispensable presence in their life. Songs like this tend to be born out of my own self-esteem, but needing a “pick me up” in life to function felt universal, particularly using the metaphor of coffee, and ultimately led to what I hope is a relatable ballad that underpins the theme of the forthcoming EP. The song uses electric and acoustic guitars in a way I haven’t done previously and it was fun to focus on writing and producing in a way that reflected the simplicity of the concept.
“Can’t Be Bothered” ft. Kota The Friend
After a frustrating day in the studio, I wasn’t feeling very inspired and mockingly started singing the first line “Today feels like a waste of time”. I was motivated by the song’s catchiness, and it’s been fun making a song that belongs to a genre I haven’t typically done, but hopefully shows my range and aims as an artist.
“Back To You“
“Back To You” song was started in summer 2020 and it took a long time to get right but we kept revisiting it, no pun intended. Lyrically it talks about returning to who you love even when frustrated and disappointed. Musically it was written with the hope of having people sing along which is why it has so many chant-like hooks. I’m yet to perform it live and can’t wait to give it a try.
“For Sure”
“For Sure” is about reassuring someone you love that what you have together can last forever despite the constant changes of life. Musically it draws on one of my main influences, Stevie Wonder, but also shows an edge that isn’t too dissimilar to my modern favourites like Frank Ocean and I’m proud that I didn’t abandon it. As the lyrics pledge, there’s value in sticking with something till the end.
“Rest Your Head”
As a dad with a young family, there are times when the tiredness in the home is palpable. I imagined being able to sing a self-written lullaby that could ease our sleepless nights. Musically I love the sparseness and the organ and choir remind me of the comfort I find in my gospel music roots and it felt like the perfect end to the EP’s theme of having a nice day.