Gallagath returns with melancholic pop ballad ’Claw Machine Hand’.
Since their debut in 2015, Melbourne/Naarm-based musician Gallagath has gained a strong and dedicated fan-base, and it’s plain to see why. With a blending of the vibes of yesteryear and the modern sonic moods of today, Gallagath has a sound that is all their own.
Opening with shimmering electronic strings and softly plucked guitar, Gallagath muses on feelings of lost purpose atop a concisely composed backdrop of colourful sounds. The familiar sounds and moods of Gallagath are present, but there is a distinct feeling of melancholy here: “Maybe I will leave for the moment/Take another breath and speed off/Why does it always seem like I arm this/Fragile empty claw/I can’t grab what I want.”
Speaking on the inspiration behind the song, Gallagath states: “The song came from a place of feeling like I couldn’t achieve any of the goals I wanted. I just had this dark and uncomfortable sense of wanting to run away from everything, because I felt like nothing I did was working. Like I was too clumsy and in my own way to achieve the things I wanted to achieve. There’s a little bit of self-sabotage in there too – being scared of the idea that even if I start again with something, I’ll just fuck that up as well. I felt that feeling of existential hopelessness pretty strongly some days around then.”
The instrumental builds throughout, with chiptune-esque sprinkles and echoing electronic stutters. Gallagath’s vocals are awash with watery reverb as urgent strings strike through the cloudy skies of wistful sadness: “Possibly the best and worst time of my life/The memory is charming/It’s twisting in the knife.”
The sound brings to mind the 2000s tunes of Coldplay or Keane’s 2004 hit Somewhere Only We Know and this is exactly part of the sonic influence on the song: “It’s intimate and emotional. Production-wise, I’m pretty proud of it too. I was going for that 2000s slow pop ballad-y vibe – like Little Wonders by Rob Thomas, or Somewhere Only We Know by Keane.” states Gallagath. “Simple, melancholy melodies that feel very big and heartfelt. Naturally, there’s a little electronic sprinkling in there too to meld it to my sound. But I’m happy with it, and I just hope people resonate.”
Gallagath expresses their emotions and feelings on this track in their own way, but also in a way that transmits to the listener, making for a song that is as emotionally satisfying as it is melodically. Gallagath has crafted another pop gem that is worth listening to several times over.
Gallagath will be launching Claw Machine Hand this Sunday, 23d of March, at The Last Chance, with support from artists Lili-Violet and Gesunolike. Tickets are available here.
Do yourself a favour and come along to immerse in their wonderful music.