Madness Gladness by ZACHARY MASON is an ethereal dream pop track exploring a narrative of falling in love, filled with madness but also gladness of being in love. That dichotomy is the foundation of the song’s narrative but interestingly, the melody feels very centred and unified. This is totally in contrast with the track thematically. To me, this suggested the deep sense of ease our singer feels when they’re in love. The melody is built from layers of ethereal guitars, building up a layer of sound.

While some pluck high register runs, others quietly strum in the background. The track knows the vocals are the star of the show and treat them accordingly, giving them space to lead the composition. Space feels like a key theme to this track overall. There are moments without huge melodic changes or any vocals to move the narrative. In those sections, the production allows the listener to look inward and engage with how the song relates to them. It’s a sonic breath of fresh air that provides juxtaposition to the emotionally charged energy of the rest of the track. The vocal performance is subtly executed. The singer does not need to belt loudly to get the point across. The softness of the vocalist’s performance heightens the emotions of the piece. Something about the candidness hidden in the quiet moments of the vocalists register gave me the impression that they weren’t just singing the words. This feels like a deeply personal track which makes it a joy to listen to. I’m sure many people can relate to falling in love without being ready, feeling their problems affecting love but deciding to pursue the person anyway. That mixture of the track being deeply personal and universal at the same time is one of the aspects that makes it so special.

ZACHARY MASON’s ability to create music that feels organic to his musical identity while chiming with others is unique and that alone makes this piece worth giving a listen.