Charlotte OC – “Start of Summer”
Blackburn, UK-based singer-songwriter Charlotte OC returns to us with “Start of Summer,” an unshakeable indie pop ode to her father.
On the surface, “Start of Summer” embodies a rhythm akin to something Blondie would have released if they had come up in the age of alt-pop. From the rhythm to the melody, this has Debbie Harry written all over it, and we would be surprised if she were not one of Charlotte OC’s influences. The power of her upper register on the refrain makes you want to roll the windows down and blast this one across the highway, even if it’s cold and rainy—something magical is happening here that marks the start of a new season.
Beneath its upbeat exterior, “Start of Summer” contains a darker subject matter. The track is a vehicle by which Charlotte OC is dealing with the loss of her father, and lines like “You left in slow motion” are bound to resonate quite deeply with those familiar with the grieving process. It is this very emotional honesty that brings artists like Charlotte to the forefront of a musical landscape dominated by surface-level subject matter and cookie-cutter production. We’ve been waiting for her to release new music ever since last year’s Seriously Love, Go Home, and we hope that “Start of Summer” indicates that more music is on the way.
Charlotte adds: “This song is about the ever-present longing I have for my father… He absolutely loved being in the sun and being as tanned as humanly possible. Whenever I picture him, he’s in the garden, covered in factor 15, with a glass of whiskey by his feet and a border collie by his side. I wanted the song to carry a sense of optimism, because that’s how he always was when summer was around the corner, knowing that tan would soon be his again. It felt important to hold onto that lightness alongside everything else. It’s about not knowing what to do with all the love you still have for someone. Not knowing how to handle grief, and finding yourself replaying conversations that will forever feel unfinished.”
From its fascinating dynamic shift hat midpoint to its anthemic refrains, top-notch production, and heartbreaking core, “Start of Summer” is one of our new favorite songs. Pressing play is all you’ll need to do to agree.
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