Leo is a Melbourne-based artist and part of the impressive and consistently high-quality management roster of Indie Midlands. 'Doctor' is Leo's debut single, amazingly - the quality of this music would suggest a much more experienced artist.
Leo obviously has immense all-round talent, and possesses a beautiful voice, and what I particularly like about this track is that that voice has really been allowed to shine: vocals take centre stage in the production. It's quite stripped back, but rather than resulting in something which sounds weak or sparse, that approach has produced something all the more powerful.
According to Leo, "'Doctor' is a metaphor for anxiety and the symptoms associated with the condition" and "considers the journey of acknowledging the suffering from anxiety and the subsequent process of asking for and receiving help."
That metaphor is apparent in several places. 'Doctor' opens with a wave of jittery, glitchy sound, pointing to the message of the song straight away and creating an uneasy feel. This feels a little at odds with the gentleness of the strummed guitar which comes in next, and the simply-delivered purity of Leo's voice when they start singing. There's also a very clever disconnect between that pure delivery and the words which are being sung.
Lyrically, the song is powerful, moving, at times visceral. And Leo has taken that rawness and layered it carefully with simple instrumentation and a straightforward structure, leaving the songwriting to shine through.
You can feel, at many levels, the thought and emotion which has gone into creating this song, and into telling that story of a mental health journey. It's one of those tracks which is a listening experience; deserving of space and time to let it wash over - or through - you.
Leo is signed to the Grrrl Groannn label, and has recently begun playing live shows. If you're lucky enough to be near Melbourne, go see them (and report back to me - I'd love to hear how their music translates to the live environment!).