I put this on without knowing much about it. When it was done, I simply sat there for a moment and was not quite ready to move on. This is not a common occurrence. Fish And Scale's "Letter from Paulus" is a song like that, one that finds its way in before you're ready to let it in.
The music slowly builds up. The piano is the first instrument, followed by the marimba, which gives the piece a warm, almost ceremonial quality. Those two aren't together that often, but it just makes sense. The guitar then joins in without taking over the sound. None of the instruments try to stand out. They all do exactly what the song needs.
More than anything, I remembered the voice. Fish And Scale, the project of Roland Wälzlein, sings as if he's been carrying something around for a long time. It begins softly, as though he were talking to himself, and then gradually opens up as the music builds. When it reaches its highest point, there's a bit of roughness in his voice. It doesn't feel like a flaw. It feels real, as if each word is important.
The song is based on the chapter about love in 1 Corinthians (“the Hymn to Love”), but it doesn't sound like it is preaching. It sounds like old words being used to ask a question that still hasn't been answered. What is your real value without love and the ability to truly connect with others? The answer to that question may vary depending on where you are in your own life
The music video is an added layer. The face paint, with gold on one side and teal on the other, might sound like too much, but it isn't. It becomes a simple way of showing the difference between the impression we make and what we hold in our hearts. The close-ups of the instruments and the singer are edited together in a quiet way that fits the song.
Fish And Scale is a German artist with a loyal following. There are songs that only come to you at the right time. This one just happened to come to me at the right time.
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