Drawing us in with an orchestral soundscape, a high emotional quotient, and a cinematic spoken-word introduction, Michael Gabriel opens To Lose You with a movie-like atmosphere as Jolene MacIntyre reflects, “There are moments that pass like shadows, and others that stay with us long after the light has changed… I never want to lose you…”
The opus expands with textured percussion, an emotive piano performance, intricate production details, and cosmic synth melodies as the looped vocal motifs return in differentiating orders to create an immersive and cinematic sonic experience.
We immediately connect with the emotional vulnerability that manifests. The production is elegant and understated, and Jolene MacIntyre‘s spoken-word prose gives the piece a very human quality. There is something universally zeitgeist about the fear of losing someone who has become an integral part of our lives, and this piece feels hugely relatable.
In essence, To Lose You explores love, memory, vulnerability, and the fragile and existential nature of love and the human connection. It invites us to reflect on the people who shape us. We could imagine To Lose You being featured in productions such as This Is Us, The Last of Us, Denis Villeneuve‘s Arrival, or Euphoria on HBO. It feels tailor-made for the screen. Fans of Moby would love this, and Michael also cites Brian Eno, Ólafur Arnalds, Jon Hopkins, Air, Ben Böhmer, and Massive Attack as sonic influences, which we can feel come to life.
Speaking on the release, Michael confesses, “To Lose You began with a simple but deeply personal idea: the quiet fear of losing someone who has become an important part of your life. This release marks an important milestone for me as my first collaboration as a solo artist. It also features the recording debut of Jolene MacIntyre, whose heartfelt spoken performance became an essential part of the piece. I’m delighted to share this collaboration with you.”
Formerly a member of Men Without Hats and co-founder of Isinglass, Michael Gabriel is a Canadian composer and producer who continues to carve out a distinctive artistic identity through cinematic electronica.Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added To Lose You to our New Music Spotlight playlist and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we watch the beautifully shot documentary-inspired music film and anticipate future releases from Michael Gabriel.