Dring - Any Better#

Dring is a small folkish up-and-coming musician from around the Nottingham area, which is also where I am from. She pulls influences from a wide variety of musicians, with emotive lyrics and a very contained yet firey intensity. I’ve had the pleasure of befriending Ms. Dring over the last few years and have even caught a few live performances of hers (go to one if you ever get the chance, they’re enchanting.¹) Consequently, I ended up being extremely excited for her first proper studio single. By the sounds of it, I had every right to be excited.
Listen to it here.

‘Any Better’ is Dring’s first studio release, attempting to distill a very vibrant and rich live sound into a recorded setting. Writing wise, the song is very well constructed - the delicate guitar introduction immediately pulls you into the soundscape Dring wants to create, followed by her soulful vocal stylings retaining interest. Structurally simple but slowly building in intensity over the song’s duration (just shy of 3 minutes), ‘Any Better’ draws you in and forces you to stay - it’s hauntingly captivating. The production also lends itself to this envelopment of the listener - nearing the first chorus, vocal layers begin to emerge to compliment the guitar playing, eventually nigh-on overpowering the guitar by the chorus (assisted by a subtle bass push.) These vocal layers intertwine throughout the song, growing in intensity through both verse and chorus until the final moments of the song leave them to fade into birdsong. Dring’s excellent vocal work is highlighted well in this piece, with the aforementioned vocal layering allowing it to be pushed to the forefront of the listener’s attention. The tune is bookended by the sounds of the guitar being picked up and placed down, allowing for this ethereal piece to exist self-contained. It grounds itself by reminding you that it is a physical production, crafted by real hands with real tools.²

Collectively, these elements produce a very pleasant and emotive piece. The only thing left to be desired in my personal tastes is more of a push on the main vocal line - while this one serves its purpose excellently, I would have loved to hear an even deeper emotive push from Dring nearer the end of the tune, pushing the musical climax to an even sharper point. That’s personal taste though - objectively speaking, Dring’s first studio effort is an absolute force to be reckoned with. This will be a task to follow up, but if anyone can rise to the challenge, it’s her.

Overall rating: 9/10. Excellent work for a first release!