Review Courtesy of Emily Smith
Pop singer/songwriter Heather Brave has recently dropped her latest single, “Spinning,” following her debut single “Like a Wave,” which was released in October of 2017. This latest effort from Brave is a departure from the fearless confidence of “Like A Wave,” adding a layer to her discography that is more emotional and relatable.
“Spinning” gives an intimate take on learning to let go and having the strength to fall and start again after a relationship. A few piano chords and soft vocals lift the first half of the track, establishing the intimate component of the song right away. The softness of the vocals adds to the emotional vulnerability that Brave expresses through her lyrics. In the first verse, she sings, “Well I know/ that you still care/ and you know/ that I’m too scared/ to let go/ to fall apart/ and start again,” going to a point in time where she still has reservations about her decision to let go of the past.
Eventually, there is a turning point in the song where she realizes that letting go is the best option, one that will allow her to heal. This starts with the lyrics, “But I can’t see you anymore/ and I’m too high, but falling short/ I’m feeling the force of gravity/ as it pulls me back to sanity.”
Once that closeness between her and the listener is established, the song builds gradually, introducing more instrumentation to accompany Brave’s pristine vocals and the piano. The lyrics repeated throughout the chorus show strength and acceptance of the decision to let go. They detail falling and coming back to Earth on a new path. Brave sings, “Spinning around/ on my way down/ I close my eyes/ falling down to the ground/ I found my friend.”
The song reaches its full intensity at the bridge with a swelling of instrumentation that beautifully departs from the first half of the song. There are more strings and a pronounced drumbeat that are both led by the strength of the vocals and piano together. In this bridge, Brave briefly looks back at the past, but knows letting go is for the best, singing “What if tomorrow I decide/ back to the way it was/ back to the fiction and forget how far I’ve come.” The instrumentation at the end of the track fades out all together, leaving the vocals by themselves, giving a sense of completeness in the track.
Overall, Brave makes a powerful effort. While the instrumentation itself may lack complexity at times, the rhythm is fairly straightforward. The piano only plays a few chords, but how it builds throughout the song is really what captures the listener’s attention. What especially makes the track stand out are the relatable lyrics, pulling the listener in and drawing them into the emotional journey.