His debut single ‘This Life‘ emerged early last year and he has continued to become the subject of music bloggers around the world in 2013. Followed up by ‘Hustler’ and most recently, ‘Every Night’, Josef Salvat has been played on radio nationally, and looks set to release far more music in 2014.
The Sydney born, London-based singer – who spent a spell in Barcelona along the way – has a prowess for thought-provoking pop, leading to frequent comparisons to Gotye (he sounds nothing like Gotye), Lana Del Rey (well he is one of life’s crooners) and Morrissey (basically he knows how to write a song).
‘Every Night’ showcases his skill for a ballad which seductively oozes. A lethargic pulse and velvety backing vocals provide the plush groove over which Salvat flirts. With a voice which whips between the falsetto hook of the chorus to stirring baritone depths of verse, he is effortlessly nonchalant and enviably cool.
What else is there to say? Well Salvat is rather intelligent too, having studied law while at university. He wrote his first song aged just 13, and in 2013 supported musicians including Tom Odell and The Jezabels.
Premiered by Pitchfork last May (well, the video was), his single ‘Hustler’ is far more sparse but is another portion of intelligent, melancholy-pop. ‘It’s not easy on my bed sheets / it’s not easy on my nerves’ is an impacting couplet to begin with, but his tale of being a ‘whore’ is far more than a boast; in fact it’s more of an apology. Full of R&B-tinged beats, flurries of tinkling guitar melodies, and finger clicks, ‘Hustler’ is another offhand but precisely crafted piece of tantalising pop. It’s no wonder the track went to number one on HypeMachine when it was unveiled in April.
Having recently written tracks with Justin Parker (Lana Del Rey, Rihanna, Bat For Lashes), all the signs point towards a truly incredible debut album later this year.
