creature is one of my personal favourite songs from half•alive. Being the culmination of all the themes explored in Now, Not Yet, its message and musical definition is one of the more refined in the record. It feels like the core track from which the entire album was developed from, and the fact that it was the first song written from that album seems to allude to such.
Pristine and astounding electronic sound design lays the foundation of the reflective nature of this song, the holiness that it portrays with a slight euphoric tinge. The contrast of the monumental synths and the soft percussion and occasional melodies give this track a clear rollercoaster of intensity, and supports the vocals without taking away any of the focus. It's not an instrumentally heavy song, but the unique sounds featured in this track still add so much character to the song, especially the surreal atmosphere it creates alongside choral elements.
Seeing lead vocalist Josh Taylor's final introspection and conclusion to the ideas explored in the record's ultimatum, it is a beautiful piece of writing to behold regardless of your belief. His lyrical and melodic design in this song feels very mature, laden with revelation and appreciation of the world, and of humanity. It feels like a blend of the innocence and wonder of a child and the knowledge and wisdom of an elder, a renewed hope in life aging like fine wine.
The gracefulness of his voice paired with the vibrant tenderness of the instrumental makes for a greatly pleasing song, one that I enjoy both as a musical masterpiece and a meaningful musing. The unique musical identity that half•alive formed with their amazing debut album can be almost entirely found in this song alone, and that easily earns it a spot high up on my favourites list.
Rating: 4.5/5