Atratune – “Steel Highway”/”Without You”
Atratune – “Steel Highway”/”Without You” – Singles Review
My how things can change in just six short months!
Don’t get me wrong, we’ve heard all kinds of different sounds from Atratune in 2018 and heard the dude evolve in several ways in the singles we’ve heard him create – but like…I mean…right there in the video for “Steel Highway” you can see he’s got his own helicopter now! Not too shabby bro!
Alright…chances are, it’s a clever caption added to the imagery…he might not be quite at private helicopter level yet – most of us aren’t. Takes a while to get there when it comes to the independent music-scene; not impossible mind you, but certainly a goal we all strive for. Who wouldn’t want their own branded ride like that? Free advertising way up high in the sky? Done deal – sign me up!
You’ll see all kinds of awesomeness onscreen when it comes to the lyric-video, it’s seriously well done. I love how you see’em floating in a virtual vortex at different points as the “Steel Highway” plays – it’s a visually excellent way to capture our interest and display them onscreen in a unique way at the same time. Really well recorded, you can hear the clarity in the mix is spectacular and the space in the overall sound & structure of “Steel Highway” has each element of the song standing-out for all the right reasons. Vocally, I don’t think there’s any doubt this is one of Samer Abou Hassan’s best from the Atratune catalog so far…you can absolutely hear the evolution and refinement between what we’ve heard in the past and this single. Ultimately “Steel Highway” is that kind of song-about-a-song concept, but it’s in knowing just a bit more about Samer’s personality & goals with his music that leads to the genuine authenticity that comes along through his words. It’s the blueprint of the ingredients that both make up the song itself and what inspires him on a daily basis…nightly basis too as far as I know, the guy is always up to something over there. Guitars are as incredible as ever…if not once again, a huge highlight in the Atratune set of songs out there – scorching hot solos and absolutely fantastic tone on the sound that soars right into the mix or steals the show in the spotlight through complex riffs being executed smoothly & flawlessly. Samer’s taken time in between his last releases and now…and that extra energy, perspective on his sound, and really overall effort here – is entirely noticeable; he’s leveled-up from where he’s started once again…and now it’s on to that next stage of his artistic evolution, whatever that might entail, or wherever this path will lead him. An artist’s work is never done – and no one out there likely knows that better than Samer, who’s always been committed to finding his way to music with every spare minute he can gain, while still being a dedicated family man. Atratune, quite often writes from a celebratory angle…embracing the art in the art itself, for art’s sake – you dig? The words of “Steel Highway” reflect his genuine love for the craft…the lyrics remain focused & free, detailing the joy that comes along with the expressive & creative aspects of music through both the instrumentation and the vocals. Definitely a shout-out to Samer for the job he’s done on the mic, you can hear he hasn’t held anything back here and continually ramps his energy up as the song plays on, including even more Rock-inclined backing vocals that serve the song perfectly to fill in the vibe.
“Without You” is more close to the Atratune sound you know and the high-doses of sweet melody & Electro-Pop style – but I’d again advocate on Samer’s behalf that you can hear the evolution in the quality of this song as well. I’m not sure exactly what he’s been up to for the past six months or so, but it’s clear the extra time he’s spent on these tunes has seriously paid off. In terms of accessibility, “Without You” might very well be the most universal & easy-to-love cut he’s created to-date…I would bet on a lot of his fans feeling that way about this single. The hooks are strong & memorable for sure – the vocals are hittin’ the mark for melody spot-on in both the verse & chorus, filled with that signature positivity & uplifting spirit so often found within the music of Atratune. Slick editing & production give this cut even more of an advantage of sliding right into your ears by enticing you in through clever cuts to the vocals that keep the movement fresh, exciting, and in that relevant modern-day style. Music’s on-point too…there’s really nothing I can think of that I’d complain about when it comes to either of these tunes, truly. No reason to complain when so much is going RIGHT for Atratune here…he might come up against the occasional hard-hearted person that doesn’t dig positivity in their music, but whatever – he ain’t making music for that small handful of haters anyhow! Believe me when I say, if you connect to the vibe he’s putting out there into the universe, Samer will easily find room on his bandwagon for you to hitch a ride and continue on this adventure with him. “Without You” is a blissfully sweet love song from the lyrics to the beautiful swirl of sound floating dreamily & bouncing throughout the atmosphere…Atratune has always had a true knack for creating genuinely uplifting music and this new single of his certainly hits that mark on target once again. Vibrant, fresh, lively, and sincere as ever – I felt like “Without You” really came out strongly & smoothly for Atratune…it’s comforting, warm, and relentlessly sweet from the music to the message.
Definitely a couple of great songs from Atratune…both “Steel Highway” and “Without You” reveal just how much he’s continually adapting, learning, and growing as an artist & offer up two completely different vibes that both suit him extremely well. As per usual with this dude, he’s always got something creative in the mix worth listening to and an inspiring vibe that you can sonically feed your soul on.
Find more music by Atratune at the official channel at YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQCg6ql-lm2-R55tRZaK5A
Join the thousands of bands & artists reviewed at sleepingbagstudios by clicking here!
