Good Spells – “Beyond”

Good Spells – “Beyond” – Single Review

Straight from the Spells Lab, so you know this cut’s got the quality you wanna find in your speakers.

So here’s where I’m at…I think at this point, we’re pretty familiar with the Good Spells vibe, particularly because the dude has worked extremely hard at crafting a recognizable signature sound over the course of the music he’s put out, and been so undeniably successful in doing exactly that.  There’s a massive amount of identity in Good Spells overall on a stylistic level, and at the end of the day, that’s a trait most artists & bands would sell their soul to have.  Being recognizable through the music “Beyond” any labels attached to it or titles we’d visually see, is a monumental achievement for anyone that’s done it, and Good Spells should be incredibly proud of accomplishing that so relatively early on inside his career.  There are bands & artists that never even experience that over the course of their existence…so believe me, what Good Spells has got started here is certainly an accomplishment and there’s no doubt about it.

Where things get trickier on the inside of having a signature sound of your own, is that the music we hear can often sound like it’s a lateral movement rather than pushing things forward necessarily, you know what I mean?  Don’t get me wrong, obviously there are a million & one differences between a song like “In For The Kill” or “Who We Are” when it comes to sound selection and whatnot, but having a signature style and a bag you know you can reach into in order to create something reliable can often equate to an illusion that there are more similarities than are actually present.  As in, we hear a track like “Beyond” and we nod our heads in approval – ‘that’s more Good Spells right there’ is what we say, knowing that what we’re listening to is quality work, even if it doesn’t sound as groundbreaking as what we would have experienced in listening to tracks like “All The Flames” or “Down,” or really whatever track you might have heard that formed your first impression of what this artist creates.  If you’re just catching “Beyond” now as your initial step into the Good Spells realm, then this is that track for you, do you feel me?  The point is that it’s extremely difficult to establish that first impression kind of impact when you end up developing a signature sound and an unmistakable identity in music.  You’ll hear that smooth professional control of the low-end, the audibly cultural flavor that becomes a part of the atmosphere, the steady pulse of the beat, and more often than not, a track that fits snugly into the mid-tempo range – these are the attributes you can bank on usually when it comes to the tracks Good Spells puts out into the world, in addition to the mesmerizing, trance-inducing vibes you’ll find within the ethereal sounds you’ll discover in a track like “Beyond.”  Ultimately, any of us are genuinely thankful to know we’ve got an artist we can rely on to deliver what we wanna hear – and a lateral move ain’t ever a bad thing.  It all comes down to the kind of artist you wanna be.  A perfect song is by no means any kind of small achievement – it’s a HUGE thing anytime that it’s accomplished, which I’d argue Good Spells does once again with “Beyond” for sure.  If there’s something that should have been done better in the mix or the execution, all I know is that I can’t hear it if it exists.  Good Spells is known to round all the corners and pays an incredible amount of attention to the finest details – y’ain’t gonna find flaws in “Beyond.”

Dude could go on to do this for a lifetime and his entire career, and no one would bat an eye if he did – he built this sonic empire of his own, and he’s got every right to want to explore every square inch of it.  Do I think there’s a bit of an element of goin’ through the motions with a single like this at the same time though?  Sure!  All-in-all, I think Good Spells could roll outta bed and land on a song like “Beyond” because that’s the level of skill he’s rockin’ with and he knows exactly the kind of sound he’s looking to create.  Some artists take that as a sign to switch things up, and others entrench themselves in what they know works best for them – there’s no right or wrong, it’s just about what kind of artist you wanna be and what you want to be remembered for.  No one’s gonna complain about a perfect song – myself included – so don’t get it twisted, I’m not about to start now either, I’m just observing and I naturally try to challenge every artist & band out there to do the most they can with the skills they have.  Do I like “Beyond?”  Sure I do!  I think it’d be harder not to if I’m being honest with ya…there’s no reason not to appreciate such a well thought-out track where all the pieces are in the right place you wanna find’em in.  Do I think there’s a level “Beyond” tracks like “Beyond” for Good Spells?  I sure do!  And that’s every bit as okay to feel like that if you do too…we can still appreciate the greatness in what he does, even if we believe that he’s got a lot more in the tank than this particular single might reveal, you feel me?  I’m of the opinion that “Beyond” is every bit as excellent as I thought it would be or expected to find – and now it’s up to Good Spells to determine if he wants to be that reliable artist we go to for a certain sound and vibe, or if he wants to switch things up and surprise not only his audience, but himself in the process – because if he wants to, he’s capable.  Guy’s a remarkable producer and knows exactly how to get the best out of his sound every time…but something tells me he’s got a whole gear “Beyond” what he’s shown us so far to-date when it comes to the potential interest he could generate through his talents.

So like I said, don’t get me wrong…I like it, it’s well-made and expertly executed and I’ve got nothing but love for that at the end of the day…but my gut tells me Good Spells has plateaued a little at the moment & that he’s quite likely heading towards another significant breakthrough that’ll define his next chapter ahead.  I promise I’ll have no problem at all turning up “Beyond” while we’re waiting for that to happen.

Find out more about Good Spells from the official website at:  https://goodspells.com

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