Hayden Spenceley

Mirrors

Haydon Spenceley’s new album, Mirrors, proves to be an impressive alternative record. It takes a modern, ambient twist on rock with interesting chord progressions and its upbeat moments, but keeps its mellow parts impactful and honest. From start to finish, the U.K.-based songwriter has written an album that will stick with you long after you listened to it.

The ambient sections on this album really set the mood. Spenceley gets heavy on the piano and layers in ambient (and sometimes electronic) sounds. Tracks like “Rise” and “Interlude” really showcase the softer side of the album. The synth throughout only adds to the album’s originality.

As mellow and ambient as parts of this album are, it can also pick up the pace with grungy riffs and kicking guitar solos — just jam the title track. It shows a nice balance of instrumentation and a dynamic mix of ambiance and rock n’ roll.

The vocal melodies on this album are different and original; it’s not just singing over the same four chords. Although the vocal range doesn’t reach belted-out heights, Spenceley still captures his impressive and unique vocals style. There aren’t many sing-along choruses on the album, but they still have a way of getting stuck in your head.
With Spenceley’s take on modern rock, Mirrors embodies a stimulating and sometimes darker style of Coldplay, while honing in on the things that make him unique.