Once the frontman for Atlas, which holds the record for the longest tenure for a single at the top of the NZ singles chart (beating even Scribe), Sean Cunningham is back under his own name and new single Habit is going onto my personal Spotify playlist as well as the Flash-Trax one. What a gorgeous song!

I’ve mentioned previously that I find his timbre to be somewhat reminiscent of my countryman David Gray. I find that again with the new single. Reminiscent, but not a replica, though. Sean has a great tenor, and clearly a genius ear for a hit tune. Habit is layered with lush keys and strings, married with some great guitar and a solid, rich bottom end. It’s a well constructed song, with the BVs added perfectly to enhance the emotiveness of the overall song.

In what could be a bio for many Sean is writing about those relationships we get into but should get out of sooner than we end up doing. From the EPK: “‘Habit’ addresses the patterns or habits we create in our lives that only prove to work against us,” reflects Sean. “It’s about searching for the right person in your life but always going after the wrong people. Every time knowing that you’re making the same mistakes.”

Sean wrote the track with Samantha Lynagh. It was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee and sent to Mike Jussila in Finland for mastering. A well travelled number before it ever saw the light of day. It’s a great recording, warm and alive, very emotional and endearing. The melody is absolutely catchy and commercially viable. It sits across a veritable lexicon of genres: rock, country, pop, indie. Take your pick.

From his debut solo album Whatever That Is (that’s the title, not me speculating!) which is coming out on 28th June, we’ve got an absolute belter of a promo single for it. I have no doubt this is getting radio air. I didn’t get sent a promo vid, so no review for eyeballing stuff, but seriously – if you like your sounds to be in the realms of what I’ve described here, do give this a listen. An incredible voice, gifted writer and composer, that you really should have on your radar.

I want to go see him if he plays here!