Having heard a ReOrchestrated version of Bastille’s Warmth (off of their 2016 release Wild World) live at the Royal Albert Hall in London, I did not think I would get to hear it again seeing as their ReOrchestrated shows were held across the Atlantic Ocean. But at the stroke of midnight on the 15th of January, they released a beautiful arrangement that was in conjunction with the Baltic Sea Philharmonic performed last year in Hamburg as a part of a Channel Aid event. What a treat it was to wake up to and hear this song elevated since that first time at Royal Albert Hall. "Warmth (ReOrchestrated)" was exactly what 2021 needed.
If you have been living under a rock the last few years, you might not know that Bastille have joined forces with some of London’s finest gospel voices as well as enlisting musicians to flip the songs on its head. Alongside these versions of the English quartet’s songs, the One-Eyed Jack Sessions are top tier for me. The song kicks off with strings as Bim’s angelic voice chiming in at the beginning – it adds a layer of warmth to Dan’s vocals as he begins the song. With the strings weaving in and out of the harmonious vocals – it gives the song a new meaning in these strange times. Being isolated and locked away from the rest of the world, we are all looking for a sense of peace and that tenderness brought on by being physically close to someone. With this stripped-down version – it gives those senses a heightened and elevated sense of belonging. Now more than ever we are all needing to just stay connected with one another, even if it is just through the bright screens of our laptops.
“I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t stop thinking about it. Tell me did you see the news last night.” – How relatable is that to 2020?! Those lyrics sums up the dread of waking up to a whole new stream of news and whether it is in our backdoor or not. It is still here. It still impacts us all in a way we could not even imagine. But with music, with this release of Warmth in a re-imagined sense, it gives us a reason to pause and sit in silence for a few minutes. Bastille have continued to show the world that they are here to stay and that their talents know no bounds.
If you are like me and listening to this song on repeat, you will notice things you did not hear the first three times. Like the layering harmonies at the 3:10 mark and just how much of a swoon-worthy moment that was. If you get emotionally attached to musical pieces like me – grab yourself a box of tissues and settle in for an emotional four minutes and six seconds. It is worth your time.
You can get the song exclusively from Amazon Music, and find Bastille on Twitter.
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