A Better Life is a UK-based music project led by ambient and downtempo producer Phil Daniels. With a mission to craft music that encourages calmness and tranquility, A Better Life blends airy vocal work and instrumental elements to create enveloping chillout tracks to provide the perfect soundtrack for relaxation and reflection.
The project was unveiled to the world in 2021 with the debut single, a dreamy cover of “Wicked Game” featuring Pete Rawcliffe. Quickly followed up by the debut studio album Take A Deep Breath, A Better Life won over fans and tastemakers alike via a stunning release that provided a sense of sonic serenity for listeners.
Phil Daniels’s musical output extends beyond A Better Life, as shown by his collaborations with holistic practitioners Sensory in 2023, where he provided the music for a series of guided meditations. With each subsequent release, Phil and his A Better Life project has earned a reputation as a purveyor of soothing and captivating electronica.
With more singles released in 2022 and last year, A Better Life now brings us their latest release with the new single titled “The First Light,” featuring the talents of vocalist Holly Taymar. The first single lifted from the upcoming sophomore record, The Light, the new song serves up a delicate downtempo sound that perfectly pairs mesmeric aesthetic with subtle rhythmic energy.
Brought in by the bright plinks of sparse piano notes as sweeping sonic textures swell and fade, soft guitar notes flicker as the distant pulse of percussion develops into an intricate beat as Holly’s elegant voice glides in. Threading blissful melodic stretches above the immersive sonic fabric, “The First Light” casts an enchanting musical spell, peppered with slick guitar lead flutters that colour the shifting arrangement with dashes of vibrant hues.
Flowing through moments of stripped back structures where Holly’s hushed vocal delivery dances alongside gentle guitar and piano touches, the song rises to a dazzling finale of beautiful instrumental textures and exquisite vocal lines. With the forthcoming record set to drop this summer, A Better Life is set to continue charming fans with their alluring musical output throughout this year and beyond.
Listen to The First Light (feat. Holly Taymar) below
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