Caleb Landry Jones – I’m On Top Of The World

‘I’m On Top of The World‘ is, if anything else, an interesting listen. The ethereal, dreamy vocals against a conventional sounding backdrop create a refreshing mesh of sounds. This isn’t a track where you can predict how it goes – the almost eerie way the song starts is a complete contrast to the manic, upbeat place in which it ends. It very much knows how. The production on the track is brilliant, something which becomes more evident as it goes on and more layers are introduced. The bombastic horns, the introduction of woodwind which sounds like something straight out of the 60’s, the ever-present bass; there was never a point in this track where something wasn’t happening.

The drums really shine; while being far from virtuosic, they’re utilised in a way which builds and destroys tension. For a track with dynamics as varied as this one, it can make or break a song – luckily for Caleb, in this case, it made it.

It’s always refreshing to hear music which has drawn inspiration from many places, and that’s definitely the case here. It sounds very nostalgic, but is simultaneously distinctly modern. It’s this unique sound, and approach to making the track, which makes it such an engaging listen. I recommend listening to this one in a dark room, with your headphones cranked all the way up: you’ll surely feel on top of the world.

Dylan Smiler