“Without Calling” is a song by NOEL that is an introspective account of self-sabotage in relationships. The experience of listening to the lyrics begs the question: how can you love someone else if you don’t truly love yourself? In the first verse, the narrator is aware of his habit of finding someone who wants to work with him on a relationship and pushing them away. It’s a cycle. The narrator expresses his habit through the line “took all their trust and let it burn down”. This metaphor gives an image of destruction, which is a devastating thing with something as vulnerable as new relationships. He uses the word “their” throughout the first verse, and the word “you” throughout the chorus and second verse, which shows a change of focus and regret for his actions toward one specific person. The song shifts from painting a picture of the way he took people for granted to fear that he will mistreat the person he wants to be with. In the chorus, he sings “shouldn’t love me but you do”. These words are a sad display of compassion for his partner, as the narrator brands himself as undeserving. He finishes the song with the epitome of insecurity: “how can I trust when I’m not enough?”
The tune is introduced with a rapid and gentle acoustic plucking pattern. NOEL’s vocals are soft and breathy through the first part of the verse, then round out and get louder through the second. His voice is smooth and soulful. Ambient piano joins in as the chorus begins, and the vocals grow in volume, and reach a high note at the end of the chorus. There is some distortion as the vocals slow. Periodic pulses of percussion join in, adding a continuous texture and depth throughout. Passion pours through the choruses, first raising in volume near the end of the song before hushing and allowing listeners to tune in to the emotion and weight of the lyrics.
NOEL, also known as Noel Sönnerbo, is 21-year-old Stockholm-based artist who rose to popularity through song covers on TikTok. He has upwards of 85,000 followers who tune in on the platform and posts musical content in various settings including his bedroom, and in nature, overlooking beautiful scenery. He is a songwriter, singer, and guitarist. The artist recently starred in his first music video for his song “Hurt Somebody”. In addition to working as a solo artist, NOEL has a long list of collaborations with artists including Anu Pillai and Clara Mae. Follow him on the links below to hear more of his soulful, smooth voice and emotional lyrics.
Written By Hanna Kowal
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