Album Review : Alfie Templeman - 'Forever Isn’t Long Enough'
Join Alfie Templeman, the prodigy of sonic blending, on the dance floor and let loose to his newest funk-infused mini album.
Bedfordshire wunderboy Alfie Templeman, once more, has managed to capture the essence of a wide range of genres including disco, funk, jazz, pop, indie, and rock to create a whole new sonic experience that will sweep listeners off their feet and put them straight on the dance floor. With 8 tracks full of hidden gems sprinkled with Templeman’s signature ‘dreamy psychedelia’, ‘Forever Isn’t Long Enough’ is “the best representation of what I [Alfie] is about”. The 18-year-old pours his encyclopaedic knowledge of music history and combines it with the incredibly relatable narratives of life’s issues from the pov of a teen to continue his experimentation in a set of summer bangers.
Ten years after writing and producing his first song using his sister’s toy microphone at the age of 8, Alfie has 4 EPs and millions of streams already to his name. With each and every single one of them the young artist has perfected his sound. The evolution is noticeable, musically he has figured out multiple ways to break barriers between genres and lyrically he has constructed so many multiple universes it is almost unbelievable. His new project is certainly not the exception and with every track Alfie sheds light on his influences while giving us something completely unique to listen to.
Opening with the thrilling beats of ‘Shady’, produced by Tom McFarland of Mercury-shortlisted collective Jungle, the bar is set and expectations moving forward on the record are really high. The initial club background noise sets the tone for a groovy tune with bright chorus that features a killer guitar riff nailing an almost emo-disco vibe. Immediately after, the tittle track ‘Forever Isn’t Long Enough’ sustains the nightclub mood as Alfie’s comforting vocals say what we are all thinking “I don’t want this to stop”. However, the track closes leaving us with the feeling that can only be compared to the one you experience when the lights go on during closing hour at a club.
All of a sudden there’s a quick change of tenor and ‘Hideaway’ comes in with a clear embodiment of The Beatles. ‘Wait, I Lied’ on the other hand has slight Justin Timberlake air combined with the confessional and dark spirit of artists like Billie Eilish.
All throughout, Templeman also shows his mastery of multiple instruments. In the track ‘Everybody’s Gonna Love Somebody’ a seductive sax solo complimented by a charming guitar gives shape to a surprisingly melancholic ballad. Right after, the glimmering riffs and brass samples construct a very eloquent coming-of-age moment when the artist comes to the realisation that he “was so naive until I turned 15/Lived in mystery, my world was one big dream”.
‘To You’ is an incredibly cinematic piece in which he channels his inner The Weeknd and using 80’s synth sounds creates a heartbreake anthem. Closing with the sound of crackling vinyl, in walks ‘One More Day’ an intimate song that feels like the come-down after a night out. The beautifully delicate piano melodies compliment perfectly the female vocals by April to delicately put the listener to rest with a soothing musical embrace.
Words by Nicole Otero