Swagger makes a lot of pop music work, and in the case of the new single “Rock Bottom” by Sheer Haimov, it’s at the heart of every harmony the song contains. Haimov has a voice that shows star-quality potential when it’s balanced with minimalistic instrumentation, and while this track brings in a little more gusto than she needs, she turns the bells and whistles she’s surrounded by into facets for expression around every turn in the song. She’s got an ‘it’ factor you can’t help but notice in even a cursory listening session with “Rock Bottom,” and it’s certainly gotten the attention of critics like myself this month.
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Compositionally, this single isn’t anything over the top at all – quite frankly, it’s on the simpler side of what I’ve been hearing artists record over the past winter season. It’s Haimov’s energy that makes “Rock Bottom” sound elaborate and almost cinematic, but it’s worth pointing out that she isn’t exaggerating any part of the harmonies she’s constructing here at all. If this is what she can produce at 60-75% power, who knows how incredible she could get in a situation where nothing can limit her creative output.
There’s plenty of remix potential with “Rock Bottom” thanks to the free-flowing structure of the hook, and as long as Haimov’s vocal is kept intact and exactly as unfiltered as it is in this rendition of the song, I say she would be silly not to experiment with the different possibilities this template presents. It’s not a dance track outright, but if you were to synthesize the edges and replace the fleeting instrumental parts in the mix with a bigger bassline, I feel like this could just as easily get people into the club as it would soundtrack a relaxing drive down a midnight highway.
I like that the vocal here doesn’t have to rely on any of the bombastic detail it’s accompanied by to sound meaningful and emotionally charged, and if there’s one element of Haimov’s sonic profile that doesn’t need to grow in any way, shape or form this year, it’s her singing style. She commands the attention of her audience even when the instruments are clattering together in a divine display of discord I wouldn’t want any serious pop fan to miss out on this February if only to cash in on one of the best contemporary groove n’ melody combos around.
“Rock Bottom” is probably the most well-rounded lead single I’ve heard from an artist breaking into the international mainstream in 2023, and although her previous work showed the world that Sheer Haimov could bring the heat when she needs to, this is confirmation of her skills – and the talent supporting them – like nothing else her career has put out so far. This is perhaps the most competitive era the pop genre has known thus far, but if Haimov stays committed to the ideals she’s made this track around, I believe she’ll rise to the top a lot sooner than her less-than-original rivals will.
Garth Thomas
