Establishing the mood with an intimate guitar soundscape with nuanced percussion details, Ashley Ray Simon opens Vaya Con Dios with a peaceful, almost meditative energy as he shares poetic situational and metaphorical prose.
We are immediately captivated by the raw emotion that Ashley Ray Simon delivers, as well as his sublime falsetto. The concept of the track taps into existential themes, and we are in awe of the high emotional quotient and transcendental energy that transmutes.
We learn that Vaya Con Dios was inspired by a real NDE moment on a surf trip in Indonesia, when a sudden storm left Ashley and his crew exposed at sea. As conditions worsened, one passenger kept repeating “vaya con dios”, which translates as “go with God”, to serve as a calming mantra.
The song’s delivery and atmospheric production with graceful waves intertwined, reflect these themes of surrender and trust. There is no doubt that Vaya Con Dios also holds a cinematic allure, and is perfect for a range of sync deals, perhaps a future remake of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or Life of Pi.
We also learn that Vaya Con Dios is technically a re-release of one of Ashley’s most atmospheric early tracks. It is now issued under his own name, and included on his revived EP How Well Do You Know This Place.
The EP was made with producer Rohin Brown (Dope Lemon, Honey Bones), and recorded in an art warehouse in Bangalow. Much of the record was tracked live without a click, which also draws on the raw, spontaneous spirit of albums like For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver. The result feels highly authentic and deeply human at a time when music needs it the most.
We have added Vaya Con Dios to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Ashley Ray Simon, including the entirety of How Well Do You Know This Place!