Thoran James, a singer-songwriter and producer based in London, has released a beautifully rapturing new single titled “aquarium.” Self-produced in his Bristol bedroom, Thoran ties in elements of folk, alternative pop, and electronic influences into his music, creating a sound so soft it feels like a comforting, warm hug on a rainy day. “aquarium” tells a somber story of someone leaving the comforts of home to pursue their dreams elsewhere, but with a twist: the story is told from the perspective of the person they left behind.
A detailed visual of the story is tangled within the opening lyrics: “You left alone / Fourteen hours on a crowded coach / Lied about it to your friends at home / said you never would / Years since then / turned the pages of a novelette / about a stranger and her pretty end / Thought you never could.”
The song confronts the painful emotions that arise after being separated from someone who you thought would never leave your side, only to see how much this person has changed when finally reunited again. Listeners can relate alongside lyrics like, “Are you bolder now / tall enough / Save me all you did on the road, I was wronged / when you sold up for a gap in the back of your heart / Oh she don’t take after her ma, with a pocket full of gold / and the sun in her hand / Don’t you know, don’t you know / I realized, is this what it’s meant to feel like?”
“aquarium” is the second single from Thoran’s upcoming EP, which is set to be released in September, joining “cool headed mountain lions.”
Keep up with Thoran James: Instagram // Spotify // Soundcloud
