We all have dreams, goals and aspirations that we set out to achieve. Maybe you want to be a rock star; maybe your goal is to be a doctor or lawyer, or you want to have a family. Most of us have an innate desire to make a lasting impact in some way, shape or form.
Most of us also have a long way to go between where we are when we set out to achieve our dreams, and actually making those dreams come true. It’s easy to lose sight of the ball – to find fleeting pleasures that fulfill us in the short-term, but also distract us. Moreover, sometimes we find the things we thought we wanted, aren’t quite what we expected them to be. Gary J’s debut single “Edge of the Night” is a dark electro-pop wake-up call, a personal self-reminder to stay his own course and pursue his dreams.
I left my same old town
to prove myself cool
left my all my old friends behind
’cause I never thought I would lose
new life in a new big city
been raising my self esteem
expensive cars and money
that lead me away from our dreams
Listen: “Edge of the Night” – Gary J
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/335577749?secret_token=s-ji26r” params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Edge of the Night,” the debut single from London-based indie pop artist Gary J. The Slovakian-born, UK-based artist draws inspiration from the past 15 years’ of pop, urban and EDM music, citing artists like The Weeknd, Rihanna and Justin Timberlake as major influences for his own club-friendly blend of rhythm and beats.
At age 18, Gary J moved to London to pursue music. In many ways, we can welcome “Edge of the Night” not only as Gary J’s introductory release, but also as the beginning of his story: Backed by a seductive electronic drum kit, the singer/songwriter sings of leaving “my same old town to prove myself cool;” of how a “new life in a new big city” raises his self-esteem, but also leads him astray toward superficial desire: “expensive cars and money… lead me away from our dreams.”
For all its musical sheen, “Edge of the Night” is an incredibly personal and intimate story of one dreamer’s fight to stay on track, avoid distraction, and pursue his desires. We feel Gary J’s intensity in the chorus as he attempts to turn things around, and regain control of his ship:
baby now, baby now, baby now
its burning me up inside
that I could not I could not I could not
Stop all that from tearing us up
We’re on the edge of the night
we love and hate each time we fight
so lets leave the past all behind
and lets fall in deep tonight
Of course, the “pursuit of happiness” is not so simple. “Edge of the Night” is half about love, half about dreams: We watch Gary J coming into his own, realizing what he really needs is someone’s love and warmth in order to feel fully alive.
I stand on top of the world
right where I want to be
so how can this dark cloud
keep all the light away from me
solitude is a place
I never want to see
but as long as I am with you
there’s nowhere else I’d rather be
“Edge of the Night” is electrifying, a pulsing pop song that hits home while moving us to dance. Come along with Gary J for his journey: He’s back on course, and ready to share himself with the world.
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:: purchase “Edge of the Night” here ::
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