Atticus Lowe offers up dark, moody and impressive demo “Unaffected (Demo)”

29 January 2016, 09:45 | Written by Jack Beadle

(Tracks)

(Atticus Lowe)

According to his Twitter, Atticus Lowe has devoted his time recently to taking in new music. If his new demo is anything to go by, he’s been listening to some pretty good stuff.

Based around a distant, introspective piano (which sounds like it could have been taken from some discarded 60s Beach Boys session) and a compellingly uneasy lyric, Lowe's new track “Unaffected” isn’t exactly the sun-kissed feelgood hit of the summer, and is all the better for it.

With production courtesy of Oli Bayston from Boxed In, this is a dark and brooding track whose sonic atmosphere mimics the brittle melancholy of the lyrics. Lowe’s ever-ragged, honest vocals yearn and strain as he admits "I’m unaffected - by the touch of your skin".

Both emotionally and musically, the song has shades of the more somber numbers on Tame Impala’s Currents LP, with its tight R&B beat and deep, meandering bassline. Despite being marked as a demo, "Unaffected" sounds sharp and urgent, and helps stake Lowe's claim as a singer, songwriter and producer worth keeping a firm eye on.