Earlier this year, we featured vibrant solo artist Clifford, and we’re thrilled to have him back on our radar again, with his recent single Mariana.
Hailing from rural Maryland, this emerging artist has been continuing to make strides since and proving himself as one to watch. He has been described as an artist who “embraces progress, change, equity, inclusivity and diversity through the power of music”, and has been endorsed by legendary mentor and Grammy-award-winning drummer Jerome ‘Bigfoot’ Brailey, who sent over an unfinished track for the pair to collaborate on. With his recent releases, Clifford seems to be at the top of his game, with Mariana being no exception.
Mariana, taking its name from the famous oceanic trench, is an adventurous serving of electronica, presenting a sophisticated combination of evocative motifs and mesmerising vocals in a rich instrumental soundscape. Clifford shared this explanation of the song’s narrative:
“Mariana is an analogy for deep love and making a grand gesture. From its mysteriousness to its peacefulness, its unknowns to its harmony, its dark notes to its beauty, ‘Mariana’ is a place of vulnerability. The protagonist is someone who is fed up with superficial love, and realizes they must be willing to “dive to the depths of the ocean” to truly find the passion they’re looking for. The Mariana is an anomaly on earth, and true love can sometimes feel that way as well. Finding that one true love is scary, it requires delving into the unknown with a constant potential of getting hurt, much like diving into the Mariana.”
The basslines have an underwater-like quality to go with lyrics that evoke imagery satisfying rhymes and metaphors like “under-sea oasis”, “warm embraces” and “cold and dark places”. Meanwhile, a rich variety of synth sounds and scampering percussion constitute the rest of the song’s immersive sonic environment. Listen below:
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