Drawing us in with a strummed acoustic guitar performance, Hamish opens Singing in My Soul with intimacy as he shares poetic prowess with the lyrics, “Picking me up, I’m down, spinning me round, around, lighting me up, every time I’m blue, I can hear you calling, calling my name…”
We immediately connect with the raw authenticity and peaceful nature of what manifests. The simplicity and literal nature of the message feels comforting and familiar, particularly with the hook, “I’ve got you singing in my soul…” which repeats and resonates like a mantra.
There is no doubt that the song has a cinematic and spiritual allure, perfect for a movie like Sliding Doors, Once or The Last Song. It would also be a great fit for a heartfelt scene in a TV show like Adults, PLUR1BUS or Normal People.
We learn that the track first appeared on Hamish‘s debut album, Picture In My Bag. The song is designed to carry the spirit of a life spent travelling with a guitar and collecting stories, turning them into melodies. Produced by Les Penning, known for his work with Mike Oldfield, the track was recorded in the wonderfully unconventional surroundings of Hatfield Court, a rambling, half-ruined mansion in Herefordshire.
The song’s journey has been just as remarkable. It found an audience on New Zealand’s folk charts while Hamish was travelling there, earned a television sync, and became a fixture at weddings and events. Hamish‘s own musical sensibilities are shaped by the storytelling traditions of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell, which we can feel manifest. Fans of Jack Johnson would also be able to connect with what Hamish has created. The emergence of strings and horns for the final third of the song add dimensionality and emotional depth the track.
On his influences, Hamish candidly tells us, “I have always loved Bob Dylan. That whole genre and era. I felt that, due to being born in 1972, I’d missed the best bit and so, I got stuck into the late 60’s and 70’s thing, collecting records and filing them ABBA, Beatles all the way to Zappa. David Bowie blew my mind and I danced on the living room sofa to Queen. James Taylor, Al Stewart, Cat Stevens, Rodrigo, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young…blimey, even Chris de Burgh! More recently it’s John Grant, Radiohead, Rufus Wainwright. The songwriting….but also the melody. For me it has to have both. I hope mine does.”
With Significant Others, his forthcoming album, arriving after a 27-year wait since his debut, this release also feels like a long-overdue reconnection. We love the sincerity of the track and have added Singing in My Soul to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the entirety of Picture In My Bag, and anticipate the release of Significant Others.