If you ask virtually any music fan, they’ll tell you how excited they are to hear a new single or project from their favorite artist. Usually, this is true no matter how long it takes musicians to release. In recent years though, it feels like some spectators are becoming slightly less understanding of the time required to craft truly great records.
Typically, a songwriter spending more hours nurturing an unreleased piece leads to a more polished outcome. For some listeners, the agony of allowing this creative process to occur is somewhat bearable and can even enhance the overall fan experience. For other, less willing followers, it’s become an unwanted burden. Leaving comments on social media like “Drop”, “Where’s the album”, “You fell off”, and other variations, they’ve inadvertently placed increased pressure on their favorite artists to make and drop music faster. As bystanders, mostly unaware of the creative process itself, they have underestimated its importance.
This pressure is received from artist to artist at varying levels and is based on specifics like individual notoriety, following size, and potential previously missed “official” release dates. However, in the heart of the Streaming Era, it occurs regardless across the entire board. It’s an unfortunate reality for most up & coming songwriters and a new variable in the equation when planning releases, but there are a lucky few.
Through a combination of factors like specific fan demographics, established release tendencies, or unspoken respect for the artistry itself, some musicians experience the reverse of this restlessness. These artists have listeners who dutifully await their next release and consistently demonstrate an understanding of how long it takes the music to be conceptualized, written, recorded, and released. One of these few is almost two years removed from releasing any new content, despite having an active fanbase. However, as part of the former audience, we understand. So, join us in welcoming Western Ireland’s very own Gaff back to the microphone and the pages of EarlyRising, via the release of his self-written and self-produced new single “Right Here Waiting”.
Although new to the public, “Right Here Waiting” has been on Gaff’s hard drive for a while. Created while Gaff quarantined himself from friends and family during the Covid-19 pandemic, it reflects the emotions he experienced while in forced solitude. At first, grungy guitar chords and quick drums set the stage for a rebellious performance. Gaff voices his frustrations with a classic Irish tongue, via lines like: “F**k the news, I’m getting sick of it” and “It’s a summer day right now, but f**k me, sky’s so gray”. Here, he echoes the attitude of many who adhered to strict, albeit necessary, quarantine recommendations and quickly realizes the mental toll that extended solitude can take on an individual. However, just as Gaff’s unruly delivery and production reach their climax, he alters the beat and briefly reels in his irritation. Approaching much more relaxed now, Gaff proves cooler heads prevail by vocalizing the need for patience. He does return to the initial beat style rather quickly to close out the record, but this short period of reflection demonstrates both Gaff’s maturity when dealt a tough hand and his skill as a composer.
In addition, “Right Here Waiting” personifies the musician’s cult-like following. Following his aforementioned 2-year release hiatus, Gaff’s return was understandably unexpected by his current listeners. Furthermore, for“Right Here Waiting”, there were only a couple of pre-release teasers posted on Instagram by Gaff himself. These snippets stood as the only warning of an incoming release. Although, even with minimal hints and his extended absence, Gaff’s listeners welcomed “Right Here Waiting” and his return to the microphone with open arms. This concept of patience is prevalent figuratively in the record itself and literally in Gaff’s existing audience. They’re willing to wait for the music and respect the clock of his creative process, a luxury rarely given to any rising artist. After hearing “Right Here Waiting” though, this positive reception and the patience exercised by his audience become easily justifiable; Gaff is one-of-a-kind and has undeniable staying power.
If you’re keeping score at home, EarlyRising has been a long-time Gaff enthusiast. This article marks his third appearance on the site in as many years, but we’re far from the only ones keeping tabs. He’s received previous nods from other outlets like FashionablyEarly, Pigeons and Planes, The Zane Lowe Show, Rolling Stone, and more. These co-signs, if nothing else, prove that the Western Ireland-based producer, singer, and songwriter captivates each individual who hears his music. Gaff’s ability to make replayable records, his hands-on approach to music creation, and the experimental nature of each new track give current listeners no choice other than remain “Right Here Waiting” for whatever comes next.
“Right Here Waiting” is available to stream through the link below now, and once you finish listening, we implore you to check out some of his earlier joints too. You won’t regret it!
