Taking My Time To Be: White Vinyl LP

2023 WHITE VINYL REPRESS.

– Long awaited repress of sell out debut Mini-LP. originally released in 2019, Strawberry Guy hasamassed a large following online, with over 50 Millions streams.
– Limited Cream (No Strawberries) 180g Coloured 12 Vinyl.
– Includes Download Code.
– Forthcoming debut full album Sun Outside My Window will be released early 2022 on Melodic.
Great review in MOJO already..

WISTFUL, UPBEAT ONE-MAN-BAND AND ONLINE STARS FIRST LP DOES NOT DISAPPOINT..APERFECT CONTINUATION OF THE DREAM POP OF BLACK, CHINA CRISIS AND THE LIGHTNINGSEEDS MOJO 4/5

When Alex Stephens (A.K.A. Strawberry Guy) self-released his debut single last year, he was merely doing itout of a love for songwriting. What he wasn’t expecting was a million Youtube streams and an avid fanbase.Now, the South-Wales born, Liverpool-based songwriter is ready to release a full EP of his compelling, lushlyproduced dream-pop.

Born outside Cardiff, Strawberry Guy moved to Liverpool to study music and grow as a writer. ‘I knew that itwas a very artistic city with all its creative history, it seemed like the perfect place to move to.’ he says.Whether it’s playing keyboards in The Orielles or just being part of the city’s growing musical scene, Alexplays music for the love of music, something that heavily translates into his adept songwriting.

The intense emotional feel of the tracks he writes is down to Alex’s songwriting process, recording the entireEP in his bedroom & producing it himself. ‘I feel that its important to me to only write/record when yourechanneling some kind of emotion, so I would only work on it when I was in the right mood to do so.’ Heanswers when asked about the isolated environment into which he put himself for the recording process.

Much of the inspiration for Alex’s work comes from experience rather than other artists. ‘When somethingsignificant happens to me, all I want to do is make music.’ In terms of musical touchstones however, there’sthe obvious dream-pop contemporaries such as Beach House and Weyes Blood, coupled with greatsongwriters of old like Nat King Cole or Harry Nillson. Sonically, a blend of orchestral & synthesizedmelodies layer together to act as a platform for his heartfelt lyrics.

Opener ‘Without You’ is a fine example of this, a break-up song of sorts, with an infectious keyboard melodyand swirling synths over which Alex contemplates whether it’s even possible to find lasting love. The lyrics’Do you really have to talk about the things you do with him? Do you really have to talk about your love?’ hitparticularly heavily.

Contrast this with the final track, the titular ‘Taking My Time To Be’, a powerful song of self-discovery.Beginning with downtempo piano and drums, the song breaks out into a saxophone and synth solo thatwouldn’t go amiss on a Badalamenti soundtrack. ‘The song is about me learning to be comfortable withmyself, but then wondering if I’ll be accepted for being myself’ Alex imparts. It’s a fitting closer to a EP drivenby emotion and experience.