Toronto-based American drummer and singer-songwriter Peter Landi’s latest single, “Turn Back Now,” thrives in simplicity, atmosphere, and unfiltered emotion. After last year’s “Somewhere,” this new release clarifies that Landi has a gift for writing intimate yet instantly relatable songs.
With its first note, “Turn Back Now” draws listeners into a nostalgic and propulsive soundscape. The song develops over a simple, driving rhythm that evokes a sense of movement, which echoes its themes of persistence and inner wavering. Landi’s delivery is haunted, as if he’s suspended between what happened and what ought to happen, considering a decision that can’t be retracted.
The co-producers, Landi and Tyler Semrick-Palmateer, focused on two main things behind the scenes, which are the snare drum and the vocals. The song’s percussive backbone contributes an almost hypnotic pulse, a constant chug at once anchoring and propelling momentum. The song’s secret weapon is the decision to retain the authenticity but fiercely sinewy vocals. You can feel every crack, every breath, every bit of honesty in his voice.
Written and produced by Peter Landi, with additional production from Tyler Semrick-Palmateer, “Turn Back Now” leans into restraint. Rather than overstuffing the track with unnecessary embellishments, the production embraces open space, letting the melody and lyrics speak for themselves. The result is an intimate, expansive, subtle, and robust song.
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