Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Michael Jablonka

London’s Michael Jablonka has released his new single ‘Papier-mâché’.Born and bred in the capital, Jablonka has been gigging since the tender age of 14 as an in-demand guitarist for hire, including, over the past couple of years, touring arenas and festivals worldwide with fellow North Londoner and Brit-soul sensation Michael Kiwanuka. During this period, Jablonka decided it was time to blaze his own trail as a bandleader and songwriter, collating a set of intense yet universal rock’n’soul tunes.

‘Papier-mâché’ is another kinetic treasure from Jablonka. Filled with his high powered intensity, passion and prowess for songwriting- this track exudes effortless swagger with tenderness and emotion exploding from every note. With a snappy meaty rhythm driving and pulsing through the track like adrenaline in your veins Jablonka builds the tension slowly adding a new thrilling dimension with each verse as it ferments and broods into the dynamic chorus. Just when you think this molten sweltering gem couldn’t  get any better Jablonka bursts into the most riveting spine tingling guitar solo. This solo shreds through your skull with shivering distortion, sublime nimbleness and spiraling grandeur ensuring his masterful guitar skills are firmly imprinted into your brain until you are attempting air guitar while kneeling on the floor dramatically. With an infectious chorus doused in a sweet melody and warm vocals this is another outstanding track from Michael Jablonka.   

Lyrically, ‘Papier-mâché’ is something of a metaphor for an intangible idea, a thought that flounders on uncertainty. Michael explains: “Sometimes unconsciously an idea might snowball into an emotion that you’re afraid to confront. And ‘Papier-mâché’ for me is that structural object you can’t quite figure out, it’s fragile and easily falls apart if not taken care of.”

Stream  ‘Papier-mâché’ below