Carpe Carmina: EP review: Henry Maybury - Lost Days. A hopeful, lively moreover soulful, placid and sentimental soundscape to wander through and get lost in

'I do music for the passion that it brings' - an auspicious remark that sees fruition whilst listening to Henry Maybury's debut EP 'Lost Days': quaint and ensouled nonetheless blithely flaring chords are struck, softly fainting polyphonic features accentuate a wistful, expressive and sensitive vocal lead which ushers through a symphonious and vibrantly pulsating, soothing music scenery of museful, reflective and sincere lyricism. The Shrewsbury based singer/songwriter courageously opens up to his audience as he lets his soulful music do the speaking for him - honesty and heart in songwriting is revealed as Maybury's listeners embark on a scenic and emotional musical journey, as his listeners indulge in haunting, empathic and heart-rending narrations of a 21 year old musician who strives to make his audience find truth, comfort and affinity in his compositions ....

A melodiously blossoming, sentimental still sweeping and keenly radiant acoustic guitar arrangement frames the melancholic and mournful narrative of 'Lost Days'. Deploying an appolonian and alluring vocal concord, Maybury's rousing and warm timbre, intertwined with the dreamy and soft shades of a female vocalist, unfolds, discloses an authentic lyrical tale about loss and its impact, and lingers on both mentally, melodically and with involving charm. Cautious and calm in sound, passionate and poignant in message, the EP's opening track stirs its listeners with compositional modesty, nostalgic longing and disarming, genuine emotion.

Tearful seemingly and emotive, vehemently yearning vocal murmur embedded in a languorous, mellow acoustic guitar serenade is the evocative prelude to a surprising rhythmic and compositional twist: whilst the instrumentation of 'It's My Life' dwells on its balmy tonal theme, Mky-B makes his fulminant appearance, verbally and musically, and commences an expressive and nimble rap episode. Smoothly flowing and incisively resonating, said infectious verbalism denotes the song's lyrical and conceptual, meaningful core: people should believe in themselves, in their hopes and dreams as they struggle to make a mark in the world they are living in, without neglecting or even betraying their own morals, principles and longings. Hereafter a symphonious alternation of Maybury's gently melting, silky vocal performance and Mky-B's energetic, feisty rapping sets in and creates a harmonic, refreshing synergy of sung and spoken words, enclosed in serene riffage - which is occasionally brisked up by ludic, exuberant and ardent chords - and characterized by trenchant, pensive and candid lyrics. Out of the three tracks featured on the EP, this one is certainly the most versatile, inciting and mature one.

Thrillingly accentuated and sonorously clashing drum beats dash, dynamically settled and guided by jaunty and vivacious guitar riffs - blended, both sound like a tonal promise, one of bracing music full of verve ... and 'New Thing' lives up to this promise. Two layers of vocals complement the vibrant keynote of the song, sensitive nonetheless glowing main and breezy, smoothly echoing, almost frail backing vocals coalesce, a perky percussion gimmick chimes in and intensifies the already upbeat drumming with vivid and clangorous strokes, at times orotund, hollow in sound, but constantly keen in rhythm. Prior blithe and brisk riffage grows to be fuzzily, rapidly oscillating one and heralds in a drum governed, brash and vivifying instrumental finish. The closing track of Henry Maybury's debut EP is fine acoustic pop, lively and polished, well-sounding and bright. It's pleasant to the ear and emotionally gripping, yet a little bit less of the delicate polyphonic addendum and little bit more of the impulsive, spirited instrumentals, perking up during the last part of the song, would have had a beneficial effect on the overall impression the listeners gets during his music indulgence, would have completed 'Lost Days' (EP) not only greatly, but superbly.

As Henry Maybury's debut EP awaits its release on Sep. 1st, acoustic music lovers' ears will be pleased with soulful, heartwarming and brisk compositions soon ...

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