Conner Youngblood - 'Los Angeles'

The artistic creativity on display in “Los Angeles” is staggering, but it takes a few listens to truly appreciate what Conner Youngblood is building upon. A rattling drum beat with seldom instrumentation starts the track, but his voice has a quirk reminiscent of Thom Yorke, and as it starts to pull you in, the magic starts to build around you. As if looking up into the stars with wonder, the sprinkling of piano and organ chords get progressively louder until there’s a sombre string and trumpet arrangement that melt your heart.

The song doesn’t follow traditional patterns, and I think that’s what makes it so special. It is more of a story told through the music without expectations of hooks or changes of pace. The arrangement is structured, but rather than following traditional patterns it roams free across the four-minute offering, pulling you in new emotional directions without ever expecting it. Conner is a young artist with heaps of potential, and “Los Angeles” is unlike a lot of the contemporary acts around, leaving him to fit nowhere yet excel everywhere.

There have been many artists become adventurous in their field, such as Bon Iver and Conor Oberst, and Conner Younglood looks set to follow suit and pave his own way with an experimental and unique style of telling stories in a different way.

Words by Chris White