C. Duncan gets personal on ‘Health’

Duncan is an incredible songwriter, placing the musical elements ahead of his vocals, his songs truly allow you to escape into the world Duncan is creating.

You may not know C. Duncan’s music yet, but you’re going to be glad you did.

Health — Duncan’s third album — is a fresh, mellow sound that is the perfect companion to almost any mood.

Feeling a little down and want to space out? “Somebody Else’s Home” is for that.

Getting ready to go out? “Talk Talk Talk” will be your jam.

In need of a little self care? “Holiday Home” or “Blasé” can help you out with slipping into whatever your preferred self care mode is.

The Scottish singers indie, baroque pop sounds are influenced by his love for both modern and classical music. As the son of two classical musicians, he was enthralled with the composition and performance of classical music from a young age — learning to play multiple instruments including viola, guitar and piano.

With vocals that are a breathier sibling of Troye Sivan’s voice with melodies and soundscapes reminiscent of Tame Impala and Grizzly Bear. Duncan is an incredible songwriter, placing the musical elements ahead of his vocals, his songs truly allow you to escape into the world Duncan is creating.

Health is a focused album, concentrated on personal lyrics with themes of love, anxiety and his sexuality taking center stage.

Capturing the magic of having a new love interest, “He Came from the Sun” has a musical, almost Wizard of Oz quality to it — placing you in an entirely different world. 

Two tracks that have a sadboy feel to them about the toils of life and love are “Wrong Side of the Door” and “Impossible”. The former being a lovesick  ballad with a 60’s vibe that makes me want to weep over missed connections. “Impossible” however, has similar vibes but packs a strong ABBA influence.

By far my favorite and the danciest track on the album, “Talk Talk Talk” brings forth the constant barrage of  the “just talking” phase when you’re dating. 

The title track, “Health”, brings in this brooding vibe that shows the diversity of this album while it’s still cohesive. I love the overarching themes that Duncan captures, allowing the listener a peek into his mind through each track, but not making the same songs over and over again.  

This album highlights his songwriting ability, and places the sum of each part working together squarely in the limelight. Duncan’s third release is his best work yet and I’d highly recommend not only listening to Health, but give your ears to all of his ethereal sounds.

Stream Health on Spotify here and follow him on Facebook to keep up to date with what’s in store.