Saint Raymond is a 20 year old dude from Nottingham. This summer, he released his debut album called Young Blood. As many young authors, Saint Raymond is searching for his audience and strategically positions himself somewhere between pop and indie, the sound that made The Haim, Bastille, Vampire Weekend, etc. highly popular over the last few years. The album is produced by Garret Jacknife Lee (U2, Snowpatrol, Kasabian, Block Party…) so it’s clear this is not just another small indie pop release. It is tentative to be a chart topper.
All the bands that I mentioned previously can be heard on Young Blood, presented in cheerful and pop-bombastic side of the 80s. Saint Raymond has borrowed a lot from that decade, especially wide range of music styles. Often, the melodies are enriched with Caribbean rhythms which makes songs extremely dancey.
This is a very relaxing record that reminded me of summer, beaches and cocktails. Whoaahaha motif made me happy.
When I was trying to involve more profoundly with the songs from this album, I have noticed small problems. Still, I forgive him because he is a very young artist. Not everyone in their twenties can be capable of satisfying both the public and the critics. It is clear that Saint Raymond has decided to dedicate his energy to work on his popularity instead of focusing on critical acclaim. I salute him for that.
With the help of Island’s media, this guy could be a young hope that can change the world of music and once he achieves that, the world will be on his feet. Most of the songs are made to get under your skin. As the album title suggests it, is about being young. This classic hybrid of indie pop and synth pop is something every radio will be happy to play.
