Essex folk-popper Mabes adds some soulful grooves to her latest single, “Sugarush”, with some rocking guitars for extra emphasis. The song rests on its gentle, rolling wave of languid rhythms, with Mabes’ charming and sultry vocals right on point. She’s deeply in love and the “sugar rush” is what she gets from her lover’s touch, and she’s quite convincing in wanting that love to last. A coy, little whistle and spritely melody add the playfulness that keeps the song balanced and not overly heavy emotionally. It’s an addictive song that shows Mabes is confident across genres and builds her own unique sound.
Mabes says, “The baseline came to me first, then the whistle. In the studio, a groovy 1970s psychedelic vibe was made, and my lyrics sat on top like sprinkles on a cake, and ‘Sugarush’ was born. I wanted to capture the sunny hypnotic psych mood in the video, make it dreamy and almost trippy – Kate Bellm got the vision and nailed it.”
Hear “Sugarush” on the PopMatters Picks Spotify playlist.