There is something pleasantly difficult to place about “Is This You?”. Carmelo Alfano’s collaboration with Sundae Club moves between alternative pop, electronica and jazzier, almost cinematic territory without settling comfortably into any one of them.
Old connections, new territory
That sense of familiarity has some history behind it. Alfano and Sundae Club’s Colin Crawford are not new collaborators. Crawford previously played keyboards in Alfano’s band before forming Sundae Club with producer George Shilling. Alfano’s own musical background stretches even further, including formal vocal training in Modena, Italy.
On “Is This You?”, those different histories meet in a surprisingly understated way.
The 4:47-minute track is built around rich harmonic movement, atmospheric electronics and layered vocals. Piano and orchestral textures soften the electronic edges, while the arrangement keeps slipping between warmth and something slightly uncanny. Other coverage has noted its movement between major and minor harmony, and that ambiguity is one of the song’s strongest features.
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A song that refuses to hurry
Alfano’s vocal is particularly suited to this kind of arrangement. There is a theatrical quality to his delivery, but it never overwhelms the production. Instead, the voice seems to drift through it.
Personally, I like that “Is This You?” does not immediately explain itself. My first instinct was to figure out exactly what era it reminded me of, before realizing that trying to pin it down was probably missing the point. There are traces of older lounge and jazz-pop sensibilities here, alongside distinctly contemporary electronic production. The result feels nostalgic without becoming a deliberate throwback.
“Is This You?” rewards the second listen more than the first. Its details emerge gradually, making it an intriguing collaboration between musicians whose shared history is audible without becoming the entire reason to listen.
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I listen, overanalyse, and write about it. The bassline usually gets special treatment.
