Aaron Smith - “Better Than You Loved Me”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 6

Pairs Well With…Lewis Capaldi, Sam Smith, Hozier

Aaron Smith announced himself as a voice to watch immediately upon the release of his debut single “Unspoken” just last year, a rich and emotive instrument that sounds ready for big festival stages even with a sound as stark as his. Naturally textured and full of soul, Smith sounds razor-sharp across the four songs on 2019 EP Better Than You Loved Me. His home base is in the spacious glow of piano balladry, knowing that not much more is needed when you’re able to tickle heartstrings with voice alone. There are some more booming acoustics within a track like “Better Than You Loved Me”, one that builds to a scream by its end, but at its core all of these songs dispel loneliness and regret as their power. While it’d be interesting to hear what a more musically-dynamic Aaron Smith would sound like, these tracks demand nothing more than the subtle ghosts that haunt his pop-oriented sound. Smith is already booking festival gigs across Europe and a trip to SXSW should help spread his accessible, emotional sound well beyond his Scottish home. (Kevin McStravick)