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Lennard Park is a Manchester-based duo, made up of Gary Lennard and Ashli Park, who have just released their track, “The Promise”. I know it’s wrong, but I found it almost impossible to approach this song without a few preconceptions about the sound. To me, ‘The Promise’ harks back to branches of folk-pop, deeply ensconced in the Californian tradition, combined with early Britpop influences. By definition, that meant clean melodies over rich harmonies conveying vapid lyrics, all wrapped-up in catchy guitar rhythms that made hit songs. Over the decades, this style of music has fallen out of favor.

‘The Promise’ can be taken as a statement of purpose. Lennard Park is once again giving this style of music contemporary relevance, though under a more hip sounding nametag – Indie Pop – and the music provided herein makes a valid case.

Gary Lennard and Ashli Park performs a song that sticks to your brain like caramel onto an apple. As I listened, I wondered how they could manage such a feat in the overtly cluttered electronic era, but the answer revealed itself as the song unfolded. ‘The Promise’ displays a contemporary edge and exceptionally good taste, two traits that I hadn’t expected.

The real beauty of ‘The Promise’ lies in its ability to sound like the classic Folk Brit-Pop formula, but still maintaining a modern Indie-Pop edge. Even more impressive is how the simplicity of the music and lyrics determines this contemporary relevance, on Lennard Park’s own terms.

‘The Promise’ is highly recommended for those who appreciate harmony. The production is both mellow and melodic, yet upbeat, while there is an airy and relaxed feel to the proceedings: the listener can tell that these people clearly enjoyed creating this ‘feel-good’ music. And that’s not irrelevant by a long shot!

Strong on arrangement and vocals, this easy-going track is perky, charming, simple and uncluttered. It’s like nothing you’ll currently hear on mainstream radio, unless of course you live in France. French-pop is probably the closest anything comes to the almost pure and naïve vibe that runs through Lennard Park’s uplifting sound.

The more I listen to this exquisitely fine work, the more I am enchanted by it. The expanse of simple musical wizardry combines with the straight off-the-cuff lyrics, to bring a magically fresh sound to the table.

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By staff

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