Beetlebug is a musician from the UK, self-described as “growing songs in their backyard”. This backyard surely is the source of something good, as we get the joyful harvest of their new song ‘embers’ this Valentine’s Day.
The song is about rekindling friendships. The ‘embers’ in this case are the last remainders of a friendship, which Beetlebug first describes as a “fire where little warmth remains”. Yet the song has a hopeful tone, where the weak fire running through the song strengthens again. Sparks turn into a flame, and this flame ends up burning brightly once again—a heartwarming message of moving closer to a friend again after a drift.
The lyrics do not so much describe a situation as much as they create a whole new world for the listener, something that is characteristic of all Beetlebug’s songs. Through descriptive lyrics that are beautifully poetic, it’s not hard to be transported to this world. Starting with “There’s a place, dipped in time, where a smile paints every weary face”, we are taken along on the trip to this place with starry skies, streets of suede, and dancing in the twilight.
The musical elements only add to this magical feeling. Soft guitar, tingling sounds, and layered vocals all fit so greatly with the feeling of the song and the world created. The mellow sound compliments Beetlebug’s voice just perfectly and creates the feelings of comfort and warmth that also come with the familiarity of close friendship.
The song’s theme is beautifully fitting for its release date on Valentine’s Day. Love can be so much more than just romantic love, and this song describes this perfectly, leaving you with a warm feeling about love for friends, the hope of a renewed closeness, and how magical the world can feel in this friendship.
Those who have been Beetlebug fans since the start and have heard an early version of ‘embers’ on Youtube can finally enjoy the studio version of a song they have loved for years, and for everyone else, the release of ‘embers’ is a perfect opportunity to enter the magical world of Beetlebug now.
Written by: Marieke Weeda
Edited by: Sem Van Poucke
