Laura Davies “Do You Feel?”

Existential themes are popping up across the pop music spectrum, and if you listen to the dark and electrifying new single/video from Laura Davies “Do You Feel?” you’ll understand what these themes can yield when they’re commanded by a truly gifted artist. Davies isn’t stingy with the synthetic indulgences in this track; on the contrary, I would say that she utilizes excess with a more liberal attitude than anyone in the surreal pop movement right now. She doesn’t hesitate to get brutish with the groove, but more than that, she’s clearly confident in every action she makes here, no matter how avant-garde or experimental. 

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The music video for “Do You Feel?” is quite visually provocative and matches up with its soundtrack excellently. All things considered, I’m actually a little surprised that Davies wound up going with something as sophisticatedly violent as she did for the imagery here, mostly because it had the potential to distract from the guttural tones of the bassline as we inch into the second half of the song. It pans out well, and I suppose that if she’s trying to establish herself as a wildcard among predictable artists from the underground to the mainstream, she had no choice but to go the brazen route in this single. 

This bottom-end groove feels pretty industrial, but luckily for us, this is a player who knows exactly what to do with it. Davies isn’t swinging around weighty beats for nothing in “Do You Feel?” but instead working them into a melancholic harmony that imposes itself upon the audience – much like a sense of guilt or dread would. It’s an ominous listen for sure, but overall I think this is exactly the type of song that puts artists like this one on the map (and the timing of its release couldn’t be better). 

Davies’ vocal harmonies are the lone blushing component in all of the darkness here, but without their presence, I don’t know that the intimate nature of the lyrics would be as obvious as it is in this scenario. Because of the contrast between melodic elements, we’re never allowed to step out of the romantic angle this singer is cultivating from behind the microphone – it envelops us from top to bottom. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel in this track, and it’s kept alive via the pulsating verses our leading lady constructs as a bridge between solitude and an endless embrace. 

I didn’t know what to expect out of this new single from Laura Davies, but I can tell you now that I wasn’t anticipating being as taken with the emotionality of “Do You Feel?” as I have been this November. There’s so much affection buried beneath layers of meandering shadows here, and yet Davies’ personality never feels concealed by all of the sonic shade she surrounds herself with. I can’t wait to hear what she’s going to develop in and outside of the studio next, and I have a feeling I’m not the only critic excited for her future in the wake of this track’s release. 

Mindy McCall