Dylan Tauber – “Harmony Of Earth”
Dylan Tauber – “Harmony Of Earth” – Single Review
Thank you, Dylan Tauber.
Listen. While I might like to pretend that I’m not on most days, reality suggests that I’m every bit as human as the rest of ya. Like the majority of people on this planet, I’ve got a job to do. There is never a doubt in my mind that being a music critic would be amongst the best vocations I could ever potentially have on a personal level, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have the occasional bad day too. As many of you experience in your own lines of work, sometimes a bad day can stretch into a bad week, or perhaps even longer. In the world of music journalism, this can often directly equate to extended exposure to a whole bunch of tunes you might not normally listen to. A lot of people don’t realize it’s not just as simple as pushing play on a song one time and then writing a metric ton of words like I do to go along with it – it’s actually not like that at all. When you’re a dedicated listener, to all things, you practically don’t have any time to do anything else…it’s not like I can binge-watch a favorite show in the background, or read a book that I’ve been hoping to get to, or even listen to something else that I’ve been dying to listen to – you end up pinned to your speakers, and like an addict, you push play again & again, hoping that you’re going to find that amazing song or album you’ve been searching for like a diamond in the rough. And to be completely truthful with you, it doesn’t happen every day – which is both a blessing, and a curse. It’s a blessing because it makes it so much more special when you find that rare gem….and it’s a curse because you can spend a ton of time mining the internet before you do. But don’t cry for me, Argentina.
Today is that day I’m always hoping comes along, all thanks to Dylan Tauber.
This is one of those artists that feels like I’ve been listening to for a lot longer than I actually have been. I was originally introduced to his music back in early 2022, through an album he created called He Loves Carmen. It’s almost crazy to think that this is the fifth time I’ve reviewed his music & that I’ve managed to squeeze in my thoughts on four albums over the course of what’s barely been over two years now. That should tell ya how busy this guy has consistently been with his art, doing what he does in the realm of Electronic-based music/production. He’s put out some genuinely wonderful tunes during that time, and overall, I’d say that Dylan is one of those names I always look forward to popping back onto my playlists…because not only has he always been great, but he’s always had the potential to be even greater. The sound of listening to his new single “Harmony Of Earth” felt like a glorious breakthrough.
No joke folks, I got chills down the ol’ spine the first time that I heard it, and I practically broke down into tears just by realizing how long it had been since I felt like that. Constant listening to music, as awesome as that truly IS, can still take its toll on a person…you hear more & more stuff daily, and start to forget how long it was since the last time you found that significant gem that you’d want to listen to during your own personal time off the clock. While I’m forever thankful for the incredible job I have in being able to peek into everyone’s world for a second and listen to their creativity, imagination, and the heart they put into their music – it can be hard not to feel like it’s more or less the same thing with a different sound when you’re in the same routine each and every day. Then finally, right when you feel like you’re drowning a bit in the sea of sameness, if you’re lucky enough, you get thrown a life preserver like I was with this new single in Dylan’s catalog. “Harmony Of Earth” the song I needed so very badly.
This is not only a highlight for so many of the amazing things I’ve had to say about his music throughout these past couple years, but it’s pretty much an unrivaled highlight of 2024 as far as I’m concerned. I was completely blown away by the impact “Harmony Of Earth” created in that initial spin through it; the entire time I was listening, it just felt like such a cathartic release that I needed so much more than I had realized. The emotional sincerity in this song was overwhelming in the best of ways. The melody in the music, and the vocals, speaks straight to the heart and it appeals directly to the good in every one of us.
I think it’s fair to say that I’ve always expected a lot of Dylan Tauber’s music, because I have an intense understanding & awareness of not only how skilled he is, but the extraordinary connection he has to sound that other artists simply just don’t have. I’ve pushed him in what ways I can from halfway across the planet to tap into what makes him special, and I’ve encouraged the guy as best I can along the way. Heck, at times I’m sure he might have even cursed me out a couple times for any criticism I might have had along the way…but if the end results of anything I’ve ever had to say have played even the smallest role in him finding his way to a song like “Harmony Of Earth,” then I can promise you it’s been worth it…for both of us. He’s created an absolutely awe-inspiring song with his latest single, and I truly can’t get enough of it – there’s not a doubt in my mind that “Harmony Of Earth” is one of the best songs that you’ll hear this year. From the gentle twinkle of the piano, to the depth added in by the synth, to the way that every single note & tone from the vocals will hit you in the heartstrings on target like Robin Hood splitting the arrow…I’m tellin’ ya, I’ll never be able to say enough about how truly profound & magnificently authentic this single is.
What makes this whole situation even more interesting to me, is that I’m not entirely convinced that Dylan got the complete & total maximum potential out of this song and yet it’s STILL this sensational, spellbinding, and all-out breathtaking! Don’t get me wrong, for about 95% of this track, I’m 100% positive I wouldn’t change a thing. Even the remaining 5% that I questioned a bit, where it feels like there’s a bit of a static-like sound that masks the clarity a little more than I feel like the song is calling out for…even that, I kind of came to appreciate too. I don’t know that’s it’s ‘technically perfect’ (though it certainly could be) so much as I’m completely sure that it’s ‘perfect’ for me. I originally thought that it might be something to do with the amplification or compression of the player embedded on his website, so I went to Bandcamp to see if I still heard the same things – and I do…so it’s a choice that Tauber has made with his production. The ideas in “Harmony Of Earth” from its tributary sentiment and expressions of gratitude, to its inherently graceful sound, spirit, and demeanor – all of these elements combined make it all too easy to get beyond any perceived audible obstacles, and for the record, there’s nothing so detrimental in this single that would ever stop me from listening to it. He might be right in assuming that masking the clarity a little in a shroud of texture enhances the clarity and sincerity in what we hear in the moments surrounding it…and I’d be the first to tell you that his instincts have always guided him in the right direction from day one. I might push back a little and say that the moments of “Harmony Of Earth” that possess the most clarity are the same spots that make the biggest impact on our hearts and minds as we listen, but I’m also not opposed to how he’s infused uniqueness into this idea by trying something different with the textures of this song along the way either. I think it’s always important to continue to push the boundaries of your creativity to see what else you can do – it’s exactly how you put yourself on a path to groundbreaking music like Tauber has created here today.
So thank you Dylan…sincerely. This song is exactly what I needed, and I know I won’t be alone in feeling that way.
This is that gem I’ve been searching for – “Harmony Of Earth” is a massive triumph without question, and a song I’ll carry with me in my heart, always.
Find out more about Dylan Tauber’s music from his official website at: https://www.swstudios.net
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