Newbury-based singer/songwriter, Joe Hicks has returned with ‘Mirror Mirror’, a track that takes him out of his comfort zone and into a new lease of musical inspiration.
The tune, while reintroducing the singer, has also launched him into a fresh avenue of musical exploration. The soulfulness present on his previous material, though not completely shelved, has made way for a bolder sound.
The track’s instrumentation sounds crisp, and is held together by a feeling of restless optimism. Snappy riffs spill over clean guitar lines and chunky blues-inspired rhythms to create an instrumental sound that is as triumphant as its accompanying lyrics. Hicks’ vocal fits the vibe, too. It gives the tune a soothing yet encouraging edge and drives the song forward.
The single’s lyrics centre around concepts of reassurance and affirm that the acknowledgement of your fears ultimately allows you to succeed. “Mirror Mirror, won’t you take away my fears?” reflects the singer’s own period of internal interrogation he went through during the long lockdown months and offer a voice of encouragement for anyone doing the same.
The track marks a fresh period of creativity for Hicks. He’s been releasing material since the late 2010s and, when he began writing new music in 2020, he found inspiration coming from sources that had been previously ignored. According to the singer, he’d often disregarded alternative sounds in favour of ones he felt fit him. Jazzy guitar tones and soulful vocals dominated the artist’s creative motivations, until his producer encouraged him to take inspiration from further afield.
Though the sounds on ‘Mirror Mirror’ bare the hallmarks of Hicks’ previous material, there’s something that feels innately different. The track doesn’t just sound good, it does Hicks a favour in allowing him to develop his musical identity.