Joe Guy - Oh, helo!

Joe Guy

​Oh, helo!
self-released; 2017

​3.7 out of 5

By Dom Eagle

Joe Guy is a 17-year-old recording artist from Rotherham, UK, who makes weird synth pop in his bedroom. That’s right. He’s 17, and he makes music on garageband with an irig. What have you done this week? His latest eight track reverberated Soundcloud project is a wonderful listen, but you can give it a go for yourself if you don’t believe me. I’ll try my best to entice you with words, but this multi-layered soundscape needs to be heard. Guy has been recording songs for three years now, but he’s only recently dabbled in the mixing and mastering sides of the song creation process. In between college essays, Guy has been trying to perfect his art and create something which could be delivered to a mass audience. 

​Guy’s latest eight-track EP is entitled Oh, helo! The release opens with “I Love You.” In fact, to be more specific, the song opens with the word “hello” uttered nonchalantly. It might sound like something hardly worth mentioning, but I found it quirky and funny. When the punchy beat and catchy synth sounds burst into view, along with Guy’s incredible vocals, I was taken aback. This is pop music with some real, raw flavor. It’s exciting, catchy, and just something you have to listen to. It’s got the catchiness of early Paolo Nutini but the complexity and layers of alternative artists such as Radiohead.

On “Time Is Flying” slowly chugging drum beats, swooping and elongated falsetto, and whirring, haunted synth sounds create a melancholic, distorted, twisted atmosphere. Again, I’m reminded of numerous alternative rock artists, but there’s a different flavor to Guy’s work. He incorporates intriguing influences in his guitar-playing style; I detect Spanish stylings at times, but at others I’m reminded even of Damon Albarn’s playing style in Gorillaz. It’s truly a rollercoaster of sounds and emotions.

“Puppet” is driven by infectious little clean electric guitar arpeggios, a clicking and clacking drum beat, and soothing, mellow vocals. There are definite influences from classics such as The Strokes in here, but it’s something more than that; there’s a deep and layered atmosphere to this piece.

I’d strongly urge you go and check this release out on Bandcamp. In fact, you should do this not only for the music but for the beautiful artwork which comes with the EP. It blows my mind that he’s 17. His production talent is something to behold; again, I was already impressed by his songwriting and performance capabilities. This guy is going places if he keeps up the momentum.

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