I’d never really heard of the artist Coleman Hell, unless you count his catchy debut single “2 Heads” that sparked a lot of attention and currently has over 80 million streams on Spotify.
The Toronto-based singer-songwriter had only released two EPs and a few singles before his brand new album “Summerland,” and “2 Heads” was the only song that became very popular. When I saw that he had a new album out that was featured on the Spotify new releases, I recognized his name and figured I’d give it a listen.
“Summerland” completely blew me away. Coleman Hell’s sound is one like no other; the only way I can think to describe him would be a complex combination of Mumford and Sons and the Chainsmokers.
I was so impressed at the unique combinations of sounds used in every song, and how many different genres are mixed together on one album. If you liked the song “2 Heads,” I highly recommend listening to the album, because his thunderous yet soulful vocals, along with the combination of electronic, pop, folk and rhythm-and-blues banjo-flared sounds, cohesively create songs that you won’t be able to tune out of your head.
The first song and title track, “Summerland,” brings a soothing mix of acoustic and electronic sounds, and exemplifies the spiritual themes that are behind the meaning of the album and its title.
My favorites on the album by far are “Devotion” and “Run Wild,” which both exemplify this sound. I can’t stop listening to these two upbeat and cheerful songs, which really back up the overall happy, free-spirited vibe of the album.
“Fireproof” is another very upbeat song with some funky banjo licks, and it’s one that makes you want to get up and dance. But not all of the songs are upbeat; the last song on the album, “Hidden Camera,” takes it down a notch and gives the album a beautiful slow piano song to top it off.
We all know that not all artists are capable of achieving the artistry of crossed genres. On this album I believe that Coleman Hell proved that he can accomplish this, with all of the creativity and groundbreaking ideas he brought to the table.
So far, I don’t think that he has gotten the attention he deserves as an artist. I believe that this album has a substantial amount of potential to be very popular and noteworthy, proving that he wasn’t just a one-hit-wonder. With the amount of genres and intricate sounds that are presented in this album, I feel that it will appeal to many people.
Coleman Hell will be beginning his tour in Canada in November, and has not released the U.S. dates yet. I will definitely be attending his show if he comes to Philly, and I can’t wait to see where this album takes him. My advice is to go and listen to the album it if you haven’t yet!