Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Stand-In – Harley (2021)

People watching seems to invite you to create lives for other people in your mind. This is something that Stand-In has done and turned into the catchy single ‘Harley’. After seeing a young lady running through a crosswalk and meeting up with a guy in a vintage tee, he spiralled into an imagining of what their relationship was and this single was born.

While a song about a girl he has never actually met, there is a captivating story that puts a little smile on your face. Drawing on his experience with other pop artists, Stand-In draws you into pop sensibilities that have been woven into something uniquely him. Adding his versatility as a performer to the mix, he dabbles into different genres while staying true to his sound.



‘Harley’ has a great earthy feeling to the opening line that gets you swaying to the melody. This takes a rich turn with a touch of RnB that brings a seductive flow. The beats shuffle through your senses while the lighter tones swirl around you with a velveteen smoothness. As the single progresses, the drums start to run and really get you bopping to their rhythm while making you want to move around to it. This drops for the keys that lead you to a sudden end to the track. When this happens, you will be shocked to realise that the song is over and may just instantly restart the track.

As you slip into the richness of the melody, Stand-In’s vocals bring the story of the interaction he saw to life. The setting of the scene is wonderfully done before you delve into the imagined relationship of the lyrics. Through all of this, the vocal performance is so smooth that it slides through you with a whiskey warmth. From the first word, you are hooked to the track and the story of the lyrics which are amazingly relatable.

Stand-In brings an imagined relationship to life with the smooth and rich tones of ‘Harley’ that make it an instant playlist add. The music is rich and brings a touch of RnB to alternative pop sensibilities. The vocals are captivating as they draw you into the story of the lyrics which are relatable and a lot of fun to listen to.

Find out more about Stand-In on his website, Instagram and Spotify.

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