Ant Syms releases enigmatic debut solo single, 'Breathe With Me' - announces single launch date

Sunshine Coast singer/songwriter Ant Syms debuts his solo outing with his first single, ‘Breathe With Me’; a richly organic-sounding modern piano waltz that pleads for you to be in the moment.

Ant’s abilities on the black and whites is not even in question as his fingers dance up and down the keys on ‘Breathe With Me’, but they are the backbone of the song, allowing Ant’s distinctive vocal story-telling to push forward and emote, with backing from Caroline Trengrove’s harmonies and violin work, and the deep tones of Brendan Scully’s Double Bass. In an era of increasingly disposable songwriting, two-minute tracks, and heavy focus on constant content creation, it is refreshing to have song that not only is in 3/4 time (and stretches over the four minute mark), but also goes against modern pop writing. It’s natural, not forced, and not over-polished (including THAT one note at 1:16).

Of the song, Ant says that it was written with the intention of slowing down his wife a little, being the go-getter that never stops and always looking on to the next thing, until he realised it was himself that had trouble with pace and noting that he needed this particular song more than she.

“With her daily rituals, walking in nature, exercising, and surfing the points of Noosa, she’s got it down pat. There’s so much tension around, and we’re all running ourselves ragged trying to make ends meet or to make an extra buck. And if we aren’t doing that, we’re glued to our devices; distracted by social media, where we look at other people’s lives in envy,” he said.

To simplify, the song is about putting the tools down, turning off, engage with your loved ones, have a face-to-face conversation, and smell the f***ing roses before it’s too late.

Heavily inspired by his backyard, alive with bird song, native flora and fauna in the Noosa Hinterland, Ant spent many afternoons and mornings with his smart phone (ironically) hidden in the grass to capture the sounds of a Currawong quartet. This natural soundtrack appears, woven throughout ‘Breathe With Me’, thanks to producer Brian Goodworth’s (Big Rock Studio) engineering skills.

The accompanying film clip was filmed at a bird hide in Lake MacDonald, Doonan, Mt Tinbeerwah, and in Ant’s own backyard in Cooroy, by the talented Shaun Garland.

You can check out the video to ‘Breathe With Me’ above, and listen/download the single via Bandcamp below.

Catch Ant Syms on the ‘Breath With Me’ single launch on Saltwater Eco tours on March 18, with Caroline Trengrove. Tickets can be purchased via this link.