Guest Writer Track Review: Maya Law: Hitchhiking

‘Delivering swathes of beautifully soulful elements, Maya’s created a gorgeously intimate scene.’

Re-intro to Maya Law
Much like the sprawling Norfolk landscape from where she hails, Maya Law is an artist whose natural talent and beauty shines through. Already crafting her own style of neo-soul with previous releases including Tired and playlisted ‘Say It Ain’t So’, the singer-songwriter now returns after a hiatus more confident than ever. Using music as an avenue for self-exploration, new single ‘Hitchhiking’ sees Maya invite listeners along in her navigation of life as a queer woman. A journey that provides candid and refreshing snapshots into her own wellbeing, while ensuring they are wrapped in a stunningly full and warm sound. [Read more at Behind the Music: Interview with Maya Law]

Track Review
What do you think of when you hear the term hitchhiking? Travelling? Escapism? Maybe even danger? Whatever the connotations may be, in this latest release being instantly enthralling, you know that Maya Law’s certainly going somewhere. Completely a capella, a voice like that of a siren pulls you into her world. Soft picked guitars and humming harmonies then emerge. Swimming delicately underneath as they do so, it’s like you’re taking a dip in the clearest of waters.

Delivering with swathes of beautifully soulful elements, the musical essence of ‘Hitchhiking’ is entirely apt for Maya’s autobiographical style of lyricism. Delving into self-reflection, ‘I’ve got two sides / bright eyes / and I keep getting left right there on the roadside’, Maya creates a gorgeously intimate scene. A scene that is only strengthened by the ever-apparent delicacy of frequent collaborator Freya Roy’s guitar centred accompaniment.

While never pushing the tempo, or forcing the vocals, within the continuous lilt there are intentions bigger than the sound we are hearing. Maya’s lyrics are empowering, instructive, and determined with the recurring phrase of ‘next time I fall I’ll pick myself up’ looking back and ahead at the same time. It’s poignant and genteel, and in this softness, she creates a therapeutic space, that’s enhanced by increasing levels to the elegance.

As ever, when you experience Maya’s music you can’t get away from the beauty of it. Here though, with the simplistic and bare instrumental keeping our focus on the angelic vocals, you truly appreciate the tone and melting harmonies for what they are. Like slipping under the water in a hot bath, the lush layers of husk-tinted vocals are luxurious and relaxing. And then looking forward, the closing phrase ‘you know that I will always be rising’ brings a final moment of reflection while wonderfully hinting at what’s to come in her trajectory.

Guest Writer Track Review by Ella McLaren