Infectiously uplifting and vibrant. You know that scene in Spiderman 3 with Tobey Maguire, clad in a black suit, dancing, and throwing finger guns every which way? Yeah, that one that exudes unbridled confidence that borders insanity. That's what "When I Count Stars" will make you feel like... main character energy for sure. You could very well be sitting in a damp basement having not bathed in days but with eyes closed and headphones in this song will make you believe you're turning heads walking through Beverly Hills.
Trance synths and a balanced, pitched-up vocal performance center the song in its pop roots before the unmistakable bass guitar introduces the funk element that underpins the track. The percussion subtly shores up the song's structure, complete with cabasa shakes, hi-hat taps, and hand claps. The layers of the production, with fades and background vocals, provide a rich fullness to the song that allows the synth keyboard to shine on center stage before the single winds down.
Live Now! is the solo project of Ilya Ruskikh, an up-and-coming pop artist and producer based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Live Now! places heavy emphasis on melody, insightful lyricism, and danceability, and Ilya's production predominately finds its inspiration in funk and indie pop, though he is an avid fan of a wide variety of genres and enjoys producing anything from hip-hop and reggaeton to trap and retrowave. Though his discography may be sparse, he assures us that he has many projects in the works to be released very soon.
Written By George McSherry
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