There are songs you play, and they start up inside your skin. Clockwork Motion's new single, "Flicker," is one of them. It's a hushed storm of lo-fi soul, gently flickering then burning beautifully long past the end.
UK soul/R&B artist Clockwork Motion (CWM) demonstrates that lights don't need to scream to be seen. "Flicker" is a meditative slow-burn that muses on the extraordinary weight one moment of connection can carry. It's not love at first sight or fiery declarations of passion. It's being seen once and how a "Flicker" of that can last a lifetime.
"Flicker" hacks toward openness from the first hushed beat. The production is stripped-down and smoky, resolutely lo-fi. There's room for each breath and heartbeat. The track is like a late-night conversation with the soul, a soft, sparse, sincere one. The vocal delivery by Clockwork Motion is the emotional support of the track. There's a soft ache in every note, reminiscent of the soul-baring stylings of Sampha, while the velvety atmosphere gestures to the intimacy of Snoh Aalegra. But it's in its restraint where "Flicker" truly sparkles. Everything here is purposeful, every lyric a whisper that sticks.
The song doesn't pander to trends or reach for ham-fisted hooks. Instead, it trusts the listener to sit in the silence between notes to sense the pause, the pull, the ache of being almost remembered by someone who once saw you. That emotional unease makes "Flicker" an experience.
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