Not every song has to be a personal story in order to make a personal connection. Some of the most interesting records are the ones that make you look outside of yourself and see the world from someone else’s perspective. “Let’s Imagine” is that kind of record. It’s a very positive track with a great deal of songwriting nous and the kind of musical uplift that makes you want to just listen to it all the way through. What I found interesting about this one is the way it builds the atmosphere. You don’t need a massive burst of energy or a very complex production to make an impact. The acoustic guitar is very welcoming, the piano is there providing a very gentle emotional undercurrent and the rhythm section slowly starts to bring the song to life. As the strings come in and open out the arrangement it becomes a much fuller, more spacious piece. The end result is a song that’s clearly evolving into its own thing. It starts off as a fairly intimate piece and gradually becomes something more anthemic in nature, which is exactly what gives it its raison d’etre. The arrangement is very much in keeping with the song’s uplifting spirit and is perfectly positioned to convey that sense of optimism even prior to you getting to the lyrics. For me that’s one of the absolute strengths of ‘Let’s Imagine’ in that it realises the feeling of a song is just as important as the concept behind it. Right at the heart of the release is the vision of a society built on freedom, voluntary co-operation and decentralised technology with no government at all. It’s a pretty radical thing to attempt to get across in a piece of music, especially at a time when so many artists would rather keep their songwriting in the more traditional emotional realm. There’s a certain appeal in a track that takes an idea which is normally the preserve of political or philosophical discourse and brings it to life in a melodic, accessible format. You could quite reasonably go at it from a philosophical angle, you could be moved by the sheer optimism of it, you could just be a fan of the music. It’s a song whose message is open to interpretation but the invitation it makes is simple really: what if we just allowed ourselves to think differently? What if we were to think outside the box? That question gives the track a relevance which extends well beyond its musical merit. The discussion of freedom, of technology and of how we live together is one which is never really finished. “Let’s Imagine” is very much part of that ongoing conversation and doesn’t just treat the subject as an abstract idea. It puts the idea of freedom into a context of possibility and shared dream.
There’s a difference between a song that tells you what to think and one that gets you thinking. “Let’s Imagine” is at its most effective when you take it as the latter. Its vision may not be for everyone and may not be the vision of everyone, but it is a vision that is worthy of being acknowledged. Independent music at its very best is music that the artist is genuinely interested in and that they are free to pursue, even if that pursuit is not the one that is popular. The link to John Lennon’s “Imagine” is of course a very interesting historical dimension to the release. Lennon was a key figure in establishing the place of the song that asks you to imagine a different world. “Let’s Imagine” is very much in that tradition of idealistic songwriting, albeit with a particular emphasis on individual liberty and voluntary social organisation. What’s at stake here isn’t just a comparison with a classic, it’s the decision to continue the conversation in a different way. The song takes the language of hope (which is of course a very familiar one) and applies it to a very modern set of questions. That’s what gives the record its raison d’etre. On the production side the warmth and grandeur are well balanced. The acoustic guitar keeps it grounded, the piano is very much in the background and the strings add a lift to the arrangement without taking it anywhere too far. The drums and bass are solid and the song builds naturally rather than having to go off the rails to create drama.
“That makes ‘Let’s Imagine’ a very attractive proposition for people who like a song that really develops over time. It has the feel of a very intimate singer songwriter track and the emotional breadth of an anthem. The reported levels of audience engagement at live shows (people actually holding up their phones) is a very positive sign in terms of its ability to create a moment of shared experience.” this is an album that works best if you’re willing to give it a go. Its chief merit is the very accessible sound combined with a very clear sense of direction. It’s not just an album that provides you with a nice few minutes of music; it’s an album that wants to get you to think, to consider the idea, to engage with it and to potentially have the conversation go on after the last note. Final take, ‘Let’s Imagine’ is a genuine and uplifting piece of independent, message music. It’s a very warm acoustic song with a lovely piano, a solid underlying rhythm and some really beautiful strings that give it a real arc. What makes it so good is the very idea it’s got on its sleeve. It’s based on the premise that imagination can be a springboard for real conversation. It doesn’t expect everyone to come to the same conclusion, it just wants you to listen, to think about it and to consider another point of view. For a music curator that’s a combination of melodic quality, conviction and a genuine idea that’s worth talking about. A track that’s definitely worth a mention.
