From Central Coast rhythm master Ren Stone comes the ultimate soundtrack to chilling out, his new single 'Come Again'.
To listen to the combination of uplifting rootsy rhythms and the eclectic, conversational lyrics, you suddenly feel the tension in your shoulders slipping away – an affect the singer-songwriter was hoping his latest creation would have."I think it's a feel-good sort of tune, with really cruisy vibes," he says.
To write such a "cruisy" song, one may assume, correctly, that Ren was in a place of uber-chill himself when he wrote it.
"I was at The Rhythm Hut, a community space on the Central Coast. I was all about the beautiful, welcoming nature of that space and the feeling of community there."
Ren's lyrics are colourful to say the least. Detailed, metaphoric, and without a well-tuned ear, seemingly nonsensical.
However, Ren has been pretty clever in how he's interwoven different perspectives on the same experience, housing them all under the same thematic roof.
"I guess they're like little, short love stories of times and places and faces in The Rhythm Hut, different scenarios," Ren says.
Every aspect of 'Come Again', from inception to delivery, ultimately establishes a great sense of community. "Hanging with your friends! Chilling round the campfire!" Ren declares.
This thematic detailing and sonic soundscape is actually a new approach for Ren. None of what he presents in 'Come Again' is typical of his usual style.
Rather, he's gambled a little and experimented with the depths of his own creativity. "This [song] is a little bit of a standalone.
"I guess this tune has got a groove element in it, little hints of rap and hip hop, that kind of thing. Whereas most of my other stuff is more straight up singer-songwriter, folky kind of feel."
To celebrate the release of 'Come Again', Ren is about to embark on a small run of shows in Sydney, Newcastle and Central Coast.
Embarrassed to hear it, Ren is surprised to be told he's been described by his peers as an enigmatic showman. Ren, to speak to, strikes you as a chilled person, so very grounded in a way.
If he were to lean on the word 'enigmatic' to describe the energy of his live shows and how this chill anthem might fit into such an atmosphere, Ren says he considers himself to be an inclusive performer.
"I'm a teacher as well in the community, so I engage the audience a lot and involve people," he says.
"My shows as well, I speak a lot about mental health, my own mental health, spaces and places I've gone to internally, and I think that brings the audience to lean into me and the show, and to become interested in the lyrics and my journey."
In a sense, Ren has established a pathway in his music that makes him an approachable person, a mantra he enjoys for himself as a performer. "After my shows, I get a lot of people messaging me, mostly about mental health and their struggles.
"I do like to be a beacon or a light, or a person or a something that people feel they can approach and talk to and share their story with as well."
With such weighted subject matter happening between Ren and his listeners, it's surprising to hear he doesn't find it difficult to maintain such positive vibes.
"Usually the nature of the reach out is just sharing their story and their appreciation of me sharing mine.
"I guess I'm flattered or touched that people would feel trusting or inclined to reach out."
Ren Stone 2020 Tour Dates
Sat 14 Nov - The Rhythm Hut (Central Coast)Fri 4 Dec - Leichhardt Bowling Club (Sydney)
Sat 5 Dec - Vinegar Hill (Newcastle)
