We previously featured Neil Potter as he shared his masterful Spanish guitar skillset with the hypnotic ode to his muse, Música El Idioma Del Amor (My Sweet Señorita), as well as his raw, authentic, and dimensional debut single, Over The Hills, so when we heard that Neil was back with Shipwrecked, we couldn’t wait to immerse ourselves once again in his universe and share our thoughts.
Drawing us in with a pristine guitar soundscape, demonstrating Neil Potter‘s skill and timeless sound design, Shipwrecked opens with a unique vocal timbre and the words, “It’s been so long since I’ve been on, but I don’t mind though, I don’t mind… The memories, they tear me apart…”
The opus expands as Neil switches up his delivery to a softer energy and a self-realized message. We appreciate the ebbs and flows between these two personas, showcasing Neil’s dimensionality, and the expansive level of artistry that he offers – keeping us enthralled throughout.
Mid way through the track, we experience a sonic evolution of the track to a more haunting and whirling atmosphere which really brings to life the notion of a ship at sea in a storm. The mood is gripping, Neil’s harmonies, the dynamics of the guitars, and the drum changes are exceptionally designed to manifest this universe. It reminds us of 2000s era nu-metal like System of a Down. This mood leads us all the way through to the end of the track! Again, a brilliantly created song with an evolution that invites us to journey with the artist!
Neil elaborates, “This song could really be seen in two ways. On one hand, it’s about my own struggles with OCD and the depression that has come with it. On the other, it’s about being with someone who also suffers with mental illness, but instead of facing it, they let it consume them. They acknowledge it’s ruining their life – and the lives of those around them – yet they won’t try to change. In fact, they end up pushing away the person trying hardest to help, choosing chaos instead. And in doing so, they move on to someone else, probably pulling them into that same wreckage.”
He continues, “For me, this track captures the worst of it – my darkest moments – wrapped in music that sounds uplifting on the surface, but lyrically tells a very different story. The second half of the song spirals out of control, just like mental health can, before landing on the line: ‘I always find myself back to land, while you find yourself shipwrecked.’ That sums it up for me – somehow I always manage to find a way out, while others don’t, or choose not to.”
Speaking on his artistry, Neil says, “Writing music is the soul reason I became a self employed teacher. So I could be near an instrument if I wanted to write. I wanted a hands on approach to all aspects of music making. Doing so much of the work though has only led me to become more of a proficient teacher. From the songwriting, to the orchestrations, to the producing, to the mixing etc. Though it’s took me many years to feel satisfied, still with lots that I would like to learn. Though today I can finally say that I have something to show for it.”
We look forward to experiencing Neil Potter’s album Out of the Fjords and into New Found Lands, and in the meantime, we have added Shipwrecked to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY and TIMELESS playlists!