Single Review: Golden

Hannah May’s latest release Golden is a soft and dreamy folk-pop track, encouraging listeners to feel confident and be their own biggest supporter. Bringing to life the sunny sounds inspired by its title, it’s a strong effort in her expansive catalogue of singles.

Filled with gentle, steady acoustic guitars and subtle background melodies, the instrumentation of Golden is very grassroots. This leaves the emphasis on Hannah May’s stunning vocals. Her melodies are simple and her delivery is crystal clear, layered with emotion and power. The chorus hook of “you’re already golden” is perfectly effective in its directness and carefully reverbed production. Beachy percussion and quiet harmonies build throughout the track, giving it a sense of dynamics that never overpower the laidback, acoustic overall direction. It has a sweet commercial appeal, whilst maintaining Hannah May’s uniqueness and artistic integrity.

Golden is the perfect uplifting song to lead into the Kiwi summer. It’s a prime example of simplicity often being the most musically effective approach. And such a method is perhaps the exact mission statement of a talented folk creative like Hannah May.