UK-based artist and creative Ray Laurél has made an early mark with his career through bold creative choices and some of the best songwriting in alternative music. Their new release "CHARLES JEFFREY" is a strangely beautiful and enchantingly Lynchian gem that announces the Londoner as a creative force to be reckoned with, likely one of the most innovative artists in 2022 and certainly 2023.
"'CHARLES JEFFREY’ is about the shadow self, the inner demons we all have inside of us, and embracing that. I feel people are hyper-fixated around running toward love, but the more you run away from fear, the most you’ll encounter it", says Laurél. This track can easily be interpreted in many different ways, a key part of its riveting charm and infinite replay value. Jarring synths give way to an impassioned falsetto and a droning guitar solo that hits you over the head just when the song has seemingly ended. At just over 2 minutes, the variety of textures and storytelling packed into this record are dizzying, a testament to its multidimensional songwriting and composition. An equally compelling visual, shot in grainy black and white, gives nods to Eraserhead with its dystopian and macabre undertones.
Laurél is an inspiring figure of just what is possible when an artist devotes themselves entirely to their craft. Unrestrained and captivating, "CHARLES JEFFREY" is a monument to inspiring independent artistry in the face of the monotonous modern short-form content that shackles creative expressionism.
