Agency - ‘Join In’

Written for When The Horn Blows

Indie soul/r&b/alternative project Agency provides poignant social commentary through new single, 'Join In'.“Hey, it’s been a freaky freaky kinda day.” An apt opening line for Agency’s new single 'Join In', which presents a view of the effects caused by recent world events, leaving you feeling like ‘day’ could easily be replaced with ‘year’ in this case.

Agency do a near heartbreaking justice to the feelings of exhaustion which so many have come to experience after the chaos which has seemed ever-present throughout 2016. The track, with it’s slow but steady rhythm and powerful lyricism feel like a weary yet determined march in the face of adversity, particularly coming into play in the chorus where multiple voices chant the central lyric, giving a hypnotic feeling of being part of something greater by simply listening to the song.

'Join In' clearly shows its critique of modern society, opening up directly to the listener about the man-made separation between classes and races, speaking with a brutal honesty that describe the feelings of fear and anger about the increasingly frequent events which only increase the divide. Despite this, the singer remains calm and composed, asking questions and speaking in a way that, much like a good teacher or a political leader, encourages thought rather than forcing his own ideas onto the audience.

All of this is made only more effective by the relatively simple arrangement of the song, which is centred around little more than a drum loop and a couple of synthesizers. The lack of distraction forces the listener to focus entirely on the message and meaning of the lyrics, with the effect that as the song progresses you find yourself beginning to understand the real depth of woe that the song represents. By which time the chorus makes a return and you join in the chant, another voice in the crowd marching with hope towards better things