The indie-folk genre has been renovated by those who have walked an eclectic path in life. One of those immensely talented individuals is none other than London-based, singer/songwriter Lewis Knaggs, whose familial influence has broadened – not only his tastes in music – but the experiences that has shaped his character.
A master of his pensive craft, Lewis Knaggs has utilised said experiences to enrich his virtuosic talents, illuminating his inner strength in the face of grief, heartbreak, and the acceptance of the past. When Knaggs unleashes his gorgeously lambent vocals, every note of his narrative acts as the earth from which a spring-splashed, idyllic timbre sprouts forth.
You may wonder how I’ve reached such a conclusion about Lewis Knaggs, but you need only hear his latest single ‘Feel Forever’ to know exactly what I’m talking about.
Those that have heard Knaggs’s previous works – such as the beautiful ‘Freedom Queen’ and ‘Born Again’ – know that he is no stranger to mesmerising compositions. ‘Feel Forever’ is no exception.
Stemmed within great loss, ‘Feel Forever’ is a eulogy, dedicated to a dear friend who has passed away two years ago. The poignant power of his performance emerged after attending his friend’s beautiful send-off, whereafter he picked up his guitar and let ‘Feel Forever’ pour from his heart, as loud as his voice would allow.
What we got, in the end, is an introduction that swells in a mirthful gyre of twinkling vitality. With the help of enraptured instrumental harmonies and buoyant dynamics, the track wastes no time in establishing itself as a celebration of the memories that make life all the brighter.
Suddenly leaping into a breath-taking cadence, Knaggs’s vocals soar atop the zealous heartbeat of the moderato drumbeat. When Knaggs delivers the line ‘I just want to feel forever // Feel the sunlight on my face’, you are enveloped into an elated dichotomy of soft youthfulness and an incendiary grizzle of unabashed emotion.
The beauty of lyrics ‘Fly high brother // Come on, fly high brother’ encapsulates the optimism that permeates across the explosive melodies of the track. This isn’t a song that will leave you feeling sorrowful, but rather appreciative. This song inspires the bittersweet side of loves that mourns its ending, whilst being so full of joy that it existed in the first place.
Every rushing rill of the instrumentation marries into one another in an exquisite, oceanic mosaic of pure emotion and I, quite frankly, can’t get enough of its roseate imprint on topics we would typically consider the most painful. ‘Feel Forever’ is poetry.
A form of poetry that I would love to hear in person. Thankfully I can. Knaggs will be gracing a most fortunate audience at the Finsbury in London on the 13th of December. Is there not a more perfect Christmas gift?
Lewis Knaggs’s Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5li4qxjqahjIKeoqg70LEk?si=kgOKQIWUQ8GgdakXsWC5vg
Lewis Knaggs’s Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lewisknaggsfilm/?hl=en
Lewis Knaggs’s Facebook:
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