Written by Maria Arroyo
Berlin-based singer/songwriter, Better Person (a.k.a. Adam Byczkowski), shares his debut album, Something To Lose, out today on Arbutus Records.
Described as a “culmination of Better Person’s desire to nurture intimacy through tender balladry,” Something to Lose is a combination of “forgotten euro-pop tropes with an elegant sophisti-pop palette” and driven-in themes of wanting the kind of love that turns you into the best version of yourself, and the kind of love that “makes you a better person.”
Something to Lose is a manifesto of “newfound devotion, but also the fear of loss that comes with it.”
“It’s not simply about love,” Better Person shares, “but the bitter-sweetness of life, the fear and darkness that underscores even the most euphoric moment.” Byczkowski‘s deep and personal songwriting is paired with MGMT’s Ben Goldwassers’ talent with “synth programming and acumen for generation-defining pop hooks” which ultimately brings Better Person‘s debut album to life, without the sacrifice of his personal musical influences and styles.
The opening track, “Na Zawsze,” has a choral chamber style to it that adds more of an ethereal element into the mix, while his next one, “Hearts On Fire,” adds a bit of glamour. Its shiny synth effects and glistening vocals play a huge part in bringing this song to life. I loved the added jazzy afflictions to it as well.
“True Love” is a song full of psychedelic and jazz vibrations, which could also be said for his later track “Dotknij Mnie.” The energy it gives off is infectious and the attention to detail to the structure of the song does not go unnoticed.
The album’s title track, “Something to Lose,” is laid back with a stronger rhythmic drive than the others, with a ton of vocal ideas (similar afflictions in his later track, “Bring Me To Tears”) being bounced around that adds a lot of dimension to his overall sound.
“‘Something to Lose’ is the first happy song I’ve ever written,” says Byczkowski. “Initially, I wanted to capture the ecstatic feeling of fresh love, the excitement and thrill that comes with it. But as time went by, this simple song gained more and more meaning for me. Falling in love so deeply and strongly woke me up from a lethargic, cynical state, it radically changed my view on the world and my entire life. The euphoric feeling that happens between two human beings is a moment of sweet distraction that truly everyone deserves. Something to live for, somewhere to hide. Love is the strongest weapon against hate. It is the first step to a positive change and I live for it.”
“Glendale Evening” is a very introspective instrumental song. It’s engaging and haunting, with tons of flavors tossed together. His final piece “Ostani Raz” is even softer and more acoustically driven than the rest. It creates a more intimate blend of emotions that are wrapped in a warm and beautifully blended jazz inspiration.
“The soothing elements of the final track are a summary of the album itself: an overtly breezy sonic landscape as heartfelt, sincere and evocative as it is polished and refined. When the last notes drift away in reverb you can almost smell the ocean air.” It softens down just enough to come down from the higher intensity tracks, bringing us full circle from where we started.
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