Indie folk artist Serious Child is set to release his new single, A Little Space (out this Friday, 19 June)– the delicate story of someone who is in love… but needs a little space. It’s also our Song of the Day.
The track, which is taken from his recent album Time in the Trees (a recent Featured Album of the Month on Folk Radio), sees West Sussex musician Alan Young capture that desire to spend time alone, and the comfort this can bring.
The self-penned love song paints an emotional picture, delicately exploring the complexities of balancing your sense of self with a closeness to your ‘other half’.
The single is accompanied by a moving film by animator Daria Eliseeva, who also worked with Serious Child on the single Brambles, written about a forensic botanist. Watch it below:
Since writing the track last year, Alan has found the song has even greater poignancy now, with many people spending more time than usual at home in close proximity to their loved ones.
Over the years, I’ve listened to a number of friends talking about being on their own and liking it that way. I’m also very comfortable in my own company, so was interested in writing a song of someone like that falling in love. A Little Space tells this story.
Alan Young
I wanted the track’s earthy tone to capture a distinct mood and perhaps reflect the complex experience of always being around someone you love. It seems a lot of us can identify with this at the moment.
The track’s striking emotional resonance has not gone unnoticed, with listeners reaching out to Alan to point out the connection and how they can relate to the lyrics, particularly now.
When Danny Neill reviewed the album Time in Trees, he concluded that the album, which was released on the spring equinox:
…should get us all thinking about our relationship with the natural world amid the clutter of the electronic jungle that can monopolise our attention… It’s an album that reveals so much more than you may initially be ready for, making it ripe for repeated listening. I hope its message resonates during the loveliest season when we all begin to step back out and breathe in the fresh spring air.
Danny Neill, Folk Radio
Serious Child wrote A Little Space at the end of the album, collaborating with American pianist Steven Bucher on the music. The song was produced by Boo Hewerdine and recorded by Chris Pepper at Saltwell Studio, Cambridgeshire. Alan (vocals, acoustic guitar) is joined by Boo Hewerdine (harmonium, dulcitone, bass guitar), Chris Pepper (drum loop, synthesiser) and Beth Porter (cello).
The single is accompanied by a brand-new B-side track entitled I Shall Take My Time. This baroque love song was written with Tanya Brittain (The Changing Room) and Gareth Rhys Jones. Kept back from Time in the Trees, I Shall Take My Time is a meditation on being with the same person for a long time and the two tracks are a moving combination.
A Little Space is available to buy digitally on Friday, 19 June. It comes from the album Time in the Trees which is out now to download, stream and on CD and Vinyl.
More details here: www.seriouschild.com