We all know or have known someone with a bit of a stone heart – until you get to know them, and the appearance of a façade is dropped. Then, you find, it can be brilliantly rewarding getting to know them more. That’s what “Open Eyes” by Galaa is about.

The subject is instantly relatable, and with varied use of reverse delay in the song as well as a distinctive, funky introduction, you are immediately drawn into what can only be described as a patchwork quilt of a song. You wouldn’t expect all the various ab-libbed vocals and unforeseen panned instruments to work in any way, shape or form. Alas, they do.

My favourite of the panned instruments are the twinkling keys, which help to add a timeless feeling to the musicianship. Lyrics range from “You’re a snow queen” to “You open up my eyes”, juxtaposing efficiently with the song’s description. My favourite lyric is “All my life I’ve been dying to find something that I recognise”, reaching into the isolation we can often feel from both people and the world.

This twisted genre song deserves more recognition. The vocalist has a captivating voice that would easily fit on mangy different types of genre and – hopefully – we see more from this band sooner rather than later.

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Words Emma Stevens