The piano that introduces “Chokehold” carries a richness earned by chord
ringing and lingering. Philip Jonathan is classically trained in piano, a fact
that helps explain why he is able to create a strong feel of purpose from so
little. The soft soundscape that drifts in the background during the intro is
helpful, but the aura of reflective pondering is primarily the achievement of
the piano.
The beauty of “Chokehold” is not reserved for the intro. In fact, the peak is at 2:21, when the instrumentation is at its full allure and the voice of Philip Jonathan is accompanied by soothing female backing vocals. The credits identify Alicia Barwick as the bearer of that voice. Ten seconds later, the instruments soften, enabling an elegant crescendo that leads to Jonathan’s violin.
Lyrically, the song is solemn. The lyrics are included in this post. While talking about “Chokehold,” Phillip Jonathan explained:
“Written after the loss of a close friend, this song is an honest and unique grapple with grief. The sudden shifts of the vocals/instrumentation from distance to closeness and back again reflect the curious ways grief can manifest.”
Philip Jonathan is based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. He is a storyteller. We agree with the description of his songs being “carefully crafted from deep, personal meditations on the most raw and vulnerable moments of life; a reflection on the questions that rise to the surface, and a relentless hunt for the beauty that can be found within.”
The beauty of “Chokehold” is not reserved for the intro. In fact, the peak is at 2:21, when the instrumentation is at its full allure and the voice of Philip Jonathan is accompanied by soothing female backing vocals. The credits identify Alicia Barwick as the bearer of that voice. Ten seconds later, the instruments soften, enabling an elegant crescendo that leads to Jonathan’s violin.
Lyrically, the song is solemn. The lyrics are included in this post. While talking about “Chokehold,” Phillip Jonathan explained:
“Written after the loss of a close friend, this song is an honest and unique grapple with grief. The sudden shifts of the vocals/instrumentation from distance to closeness and back again reflect the curious ways grief can manifest.”
Philip Jonathan is based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. He is a storyteller. We agree with the description of his songs being “carefully crafted from deep, personal meditations on the most raw and vulnerable moments of life; a reflection on the questions that rise to the surface, and a relentless hunt for the beauty that can be found within.”
“Chokehold”
by Philip Jonathan
Bandcamp: https://philipjonathan.bandcamp.com/
Lyrics of “Chokehold” by Philip Jonathan
How did you find me here?
When I thought I’d buried you deep
Where were you hiding before?
Cause now you’ve forced me out of my own front door
And though it's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke on
The space you left inside
Oh the space you left behind
It's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke
How did you carry so far?
Hope that things would work out in the long run
Who knew silence could be so loud?
Your indent slowly fades from your mattress now
And though it's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke on
The space you left inside
Oh the space you left behind
It's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke on
The space you left inside
Oh the space you left behind
It's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke on
The space you left inside
Oh the space you left behind
It’s catching in my throat
Hope’s got to break this chokehold
Lyrics of “Chokehold” by Philip Jonathan
How did you find me here?
When I thought I’d buried you deep
Where were you hiding before?
Cause now you’ve forced me out of my own front door
And though it's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke on
The space you left inside
Oh the space you left behind
It's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke
How did you carry so far?
Hope that things would work out in the long run
Who knew silence could be so loud?
Your indent slowly fades from your mattress now
And though it's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke on
The space you left inside
Oh the space you left behind
It's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke on
The space you left inside
Oh the space you left behind
It's catching in my throat
I think I'm gonna choke on
The space you left inside
Oh the space you left behind
It’s catching in my throat
Hope’s got to break this chokehold
“Chokehold” is a single from the EP “Pluma,” which is embedded
at the bottom of this post. The EP includes two versions of “Seafront” The
original version was released in 2021 and received much praise in the Indie
Universe, including a write-up in the highly respected Ear to the Ground blog. The
2022 reimaging of “Seafront” is more electronic and atmospheric. Our preferred
version changes depending upon our frame of mind at the time of listening. The reimaging
has the advantage of flowing directly from the previous song on the EP, “Albatross
on the North Sea haar,” which is a short instrumental written to imagine the
drifting silhouette of a bird above a cold, thick sea fog.
The other songs on “Pluma” are (with the press release explanations):
The other songs on “Pluma” are (with the press release explanations):
- “Before the dawn” - This is a song about being emotionally asleep to someone who loves you and waking up to this before it is too late, realising they are still waiting for you. One of the quieter tracks on the EP, this leans into the ambient folk genre and is a meditative song to stop, slow down and immerse yourself in.
- “I, Hope” - imagines hope as a person, exploring the story of someone’s disappointment from the perspective of Hope. A complex, almost hypnotic guitar pattern unfolds into a final, cinematic bridge.
- “In the Garden” - A celebratory pinnacle of the EP, this song explores the joy of hope that has found its answer. The lush sounds of a forest are captured in a rich arrangement filled with soaring strings and rhythmic percussion.
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