HIGH NOTES
I
was so excited when I heard the news that G.H. Hat–one of my all-time favorite artists– was coming out with a new single called “Piano Jam 3 (Ode to Kygo)”. We haven’t heard new material from this twice-Billboardcharting artist since 2018, so I was very excited to see what he has been cooking up. After a long wait for new music, I’m happy to report that “Piano Jam 3” does not disappoint. In fact, it exceeds all my expectations. This song creates a feeling that is simultaneously new and timeless. From the very beginning of the song, I was struck by the fact that it doesn’t remind me of anything I have ever heard before. It has such a pristine originality to it, and yet, at the same time, offers something so familiar. The song begins with a mysterious sounding melody played out on the piano. This is then followed by hammering piano chords accompanied by glimmering synth sounds dripping with a lovely delay effect. As the energy of the song picks up, we hear piano chords playing a steady straight rhythm along with melody lines provided by both piano and Rhodes-style keys. The Rhodesstyle keys add a feeling of hustle and bustle to the arrangement and couples nicely with the more emotive feeling that the piano melody emits. The different musical elements of the song come together in such a way as to create a feeling that shimmers with a mix of emotion. It’s this multidimensional characteristic of “Piano Jam 3” that gives the song its original feel. There’s something hopeful and happy about the song but at the same time there’s a somber “reflecting-on-life” kind of feeling in it. “Piano Jam 3 (Ode to Kygo)” is the sort of song that you can get lost in. It’s best enjoyed by letting go and letting the music take you for a ride. G.H. Hat does not follow a standard song structure so there are surprises throughout the listening experience. It’s not really a song you can predict but at the same time everything flows effortlessly. There’s nothing about this song that isn’t easy to listen to. I also appreciate the production 12 | March 2021
RON POWERS
decisions G.H. Hat made for this track. The sound of the piano struck me in particular. It has such a full and dramatic sound quality to it. While listening, it’s easy to forget that the arrangement is rather sparce. This effect is realized largely through a recording style
third addition to G.H. Hat’s Piano Jam series. You can find all three songs on his latest EP titled “Piano Jams”. If you’d like to learn more about G.H. Hat, you can find him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. If you’d like to listen to his impressive catalog of music, you can find it on
and performance that accentuates the full power of the piano’s sound. The more aggressive edges of the piano are rounded off nicely by the addition of mellow synth tones along with dreamy reverb effects. This combination of textures and tones come together to give “Piano Jam 3” its distinctive and enjoyable personality. “Piano Jam 3 (Ode to Kygo)” is the
Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and most other places music is streamed or sold.
Ron Powers is an independent A&R specialist and music industry consultant, and is constantly searching for, discovering and writing about new talent. Old Town Crier
