February 03, 2023
Luke Beling is no stranger to music lovers who regularly read our reviews. This is his fifth time featured on IMC, which means he's officially part of the IMC Family. We're thrilled to have him on board.
Once again, the Hawaiian artist with South African roots has managed to move us with his latest release. After releasing an EP of three songs in tribute to his roots, which we had the pleasure of covering in full, 2023 marks a new chapter in Luke's career as he teams up with Joseph Pennell to create the atmospheric gem that is "The Light Is Coming".
The message of this song is clear: "You're not alone. Don't give up." Luke explains that he didn't know Joseph when he received an idea for a song from him, but after writing "The Light Is Coming" in just a matter of days, they formed a strong friendship through the process. The song highlights the power of collaboration and the message of hope it carries.
Of course, we wanted to know a bit more about the whole process, so we asked Joseph to give us more details. Both artists were relatively new acquaintances at the time, and wrote the song in a smooth and effortless process that was done remotely between Seattle (Joseph) and Kona, Hawaii (Luke). It all started with Joseph writing a small part on his nylon string guitar while sipping his morning coffee and then adding other instruments to it. He sent it to Luke, who was impressed by it and wrote lyrics and developed the idea into a full song in just two days. They exchanged demos and ideas back and forth and finally, after a few weeks of polishing and fine-tuning, they had a full demo. They even got help from Dan Folgado from the band Citizens for some of the drum and percussion tracks. Throughout the process, Luke and Joseph became good friends.
On my side, I met Luke in September 2021 when he released "The Way Back", quite funny, eh? I love looking back at what I wrote previously about artists I've just discovered. Now it feels like Luke is a part of my life. I don't even know his exact age, but every time I listen to him, I get the same feeling: it's like finding comfort from an uncle who tells me stories and lifts my spirits. I can find comfort and warmth through every single word he sings, with his unique and recognizable voice, which is a pretty amazing power as an artist. Like one of my favorite superheroes? Yes, definitely!
Built over time, the song starts with just an acoustic guitar and night sounds, gradually building to a full-fledged folk song. The lyrics are filled with hope and poetry. "Now yesterdays are wind blowing wild, bleeding sky but you can start again" and "We're all the same just waiting for the morning" are just a few of the powerful lines that will stay with you long after the song ends.
Of course, we wouldn't say no to another collaboration between those two talented guys, but after all, it's ultimately up to them and their schedules and interests. Fingers crossed!
Luke Beling and Joseph Pennell's "The Light Is Coming" is a must-listen for fans of folk music, as well as anyone in need of a little hope and inspiration.
Reach out to Luke Beling
Reach out to Joseph Pennell
