After a relatively slow start, January awoke from its hibernation last week and started to kick some serious music arse. In just a matter of a couple of days we had amazing new songs from Gabriel Bruce, Vuvuvultures and MS MR. Thwack! Pow! and Kazam! Take that January.
Also released online last week, but with much less fanfare, was the debut single from Sivu, a 24 year old who currently works in a call centre in Waterloo. Not for much longer we imagine if the rest of his tracks are anywhere near as good as “Better Man Than Me”.
Brimming with elegance and sophistication, it is blessed with the kind of understated beauty that can take your breath away. It sounds so simple but the sounds have been deftly woven by a skilled craftsman to disguise their intricacy as well as their intimacy. It was written for a friend who was battling depression, offering them hope and a light ahead in the form of delicate and enchanting melodies.
It is a captivating track whose aural beauty has been matched by the hypnotic visuals that accompany it. The video, which you can see below, was inspired by research into improving operating techniques for children born with a cleft lip and palate, was shot live in Barts hospital, and features Sivu performing from within an MRI scanner. Like we said, it is hypnotic (especially the tongue) and it is simply stunning.
Remember the name as we think you’ll be hearing a lot more from Sivu in the future.
“Better Man Than He” will be released as a 7″ and digital single via ASL Records on 25 February in the UK and on a limited edition, hand-stamped 7” from No Recordings, exclusive to North America.
Stalk Sivu: Website / Facebook / Twitter / SoundCloud
Alphabet Bands 
Cool video.
Going to be massive if he can squeeze the likes of Tom Odell out of the spotlight. Sometimes you can just tell in the first 60 seconds.
Cool video indeed but I don’t know about you, as stunning as it is, you can just listen to the song on its own and be swept away.
As you say, big things could well lay ahead for him.
cant. not. watch. the. tongue.