We Speak Music

Softly purring vocals and pensive beauty on new Michele Ducci single ‘It’s Hard to be Easily Loved’

Published

5 months ago

November 29, 2024

Don Reed

Following the release of his debut solo album, ‘SIVE’, in June, Michele Ducci, former member of dance-pop duo M+A and and Hip Hop duo Santii, returned to the studio to tape some new live recordings of alternative versions of several tracks from ‘SIVE’ plus a few new songs, including new single ‘It’s Hard to be Easily Loved’.

The single is out now, accompanied by a video of Ducci performing the song against an atmospheric backdrop of watercolour paintings created by Ducci and Letizia Mandolesi.

Like a warm blanket on a foggy autumn evening, ‘It’s Hard to be Easily Loved’ envelops you in Ducci’s softly purring vocals, backed by sparsely strummed nylon guitar. The chorus ramps up the warmth with the addition of Letizia Mandolesi’s softly vocalised ‘Aaahs’. Yet another pensive beauty from Michele Ducci’s impressive solo catalogue.

Says Ducci, “I was improvising with the nylon guitar while it was raining and slowly It’s Hard to Be Easily Loved began to form. It’s the first song among other unpublished songs that I’m doing live and that will be released at the beginning of next year.

Being loved or understood, at times, seems to work like those strange crossings that are the changes of the season, or like falling asleep. It can be very difficult and seems to happen, if it happens and when it happens, out of time. So every expectation appears to be a useless expense. A nylon and paw-legged organ song came out of it that reminds me of the yellow fog that makes the paraeidoly of a cat in the poem The Love Song of A.J. Prufrock by Elliot:

“Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,

And seeing that it was a soft October night,

Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.”

We Speak Music

Waz-u drops ambient gem ‘Vermillion’ ft. Lilyg

Published

1 day ago

April 25, 2025

Don Reed

London-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Waz-u returns with his second album, Preludes: Dusk Psalms, set for release on 16 May 2025 via independent label Biodiversity. The 15-track record further refines the artistic depth of his debut, blending electronic textures and classical compositional techniques in an intricate, immersive listening experience.

Ahead of the album release, Waz-u is dropping an exclusive vocal version of ‘Vermillion: G Major’ from the album, accompanied by its original instrumental version. ‘Vermillion’ with Lilyg will be released on 18 April 2025, evoking intimate indie-folk and pop and follows the release of a vocal version of ‘Lament’ with Tom Norrington. ‘The singles are a way to give a voice to the atmosphere of the record and to lyrically encapsulate some of the themes explored,’ explains Waz-u. ‘Lily and Tom are good friends of mine and have both been listening to early iterations of these preludes – it felt right to involve them directly on this record.’

‘Preludes: Dusk Psalms’ marks a new branch of Waz-u’s emerging sound, guided by the duality of tradition and innovation. Combining his musical roots in early ‘90s dub techno and classical music, the album weaves carefully layered synthesizers and electronics to evoke the ambience of sacred music — from the gentle timbres of a choir or an organ to the quiet, open, and reverberating spaces of a church. Also featured throughout the album is experimental musician G9 LUV, who creates textures and drones by bowing his bass guitar, resulting in cello-like sounds. The release follows Waz-u’s 2024 debut LP, Prayer For Dawn, which merged dub, techno, and electronica in an exploration of the ritualistic traditions associated with both organized religion and dance.

Bringing the album’s themes to life, Waz-u will celebrate the release of Preludes: Dusk Psalms with a special performance at Our Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell, London on 14 May 2025. Set against the church’s resonant acoustics, the event will feature live performance arrangements, including a choir, with further details to be announced soon.