‘Self Made World’ is a colorful and whimsical piece of soft, indie rock by John Lebanon. A deceptively complicated piece of music that’s cheerful and puffy on the surface, carefully hiding a vulnerable and stormy core.
An indie rock outfit based in Boston, Massachusetts, John Lebanon is the brainchild of Lebanese musician and songwriter Roy Souaid, whose resemblance to John Lennon he decided to take rather seriously, becoming an indie artist in the process. And we can count ourselves lucky for it.
‘Self Made World’ is the latest single by the group composed of Roy, Matt, Jihad, and Deluccia. A seesawing piece of whimsy and grinning psychedelia the hypnotically revolve between around two chords, pulling us ever deeply into its fluffy dreamscape composed of a distant and hushed beat, a prominent bass melody, a unique presence of thick and luscious guitar chords, and the fantastic vocal layering that wraps the rest of the arrangement in its caramel texture. Production by Alex Krepikh places the song’s elements where they belong in the bloated and faded mix that’s at once easy and gentle, yet psychedelic and full of what can only be called a world of hidden details.
From the Jimmy Page-inspired lick in the start and the unyielding noodling throughout the song, to the vigilant synth pads that are persistently painting the background of the arrangement, ‘Self Made World’ is far deeper than it first shows.
