common goldfish, the brainchild of Tottenham-based Jonty Lovell, is back with his fourth single, “Low Lights and Throwback Tunes”. Lovell’s deep resonance with retro British sounds has been infused with more electronic elements and free-flowing keys reminiscent of nineties piano house to create an irresistible groove that stirs a sense of optimism. The song is an instant party track, inviting everyone to dance and to treasure the moments spent with friends.

The song’s title is the basis of the track, derived from a vocal hook that Lovell had in mind. The lyrics, however, came later, through collaboration with an old friend of his who’s a writer. The artist is inspired by formative memories of his youth and childhood, where he was exposed to a lot of music with his family all having quite different tastes. The soundtrack of his early childhood featured an eclectic mix of artists, including The Beatles, The Police, Moby, Blur, Gorillaz, Eminem and Dr Dre, which lured him in.

Sharing the inspiration behind the track, common goldfish says, “I had a vocal hook in mind, but the lyrics came later, through collaboration with an old friend of mine who’s a writer. He’d sent me some poetry he’d been working on, and the first line of one poem really jumped out – “Low lights and throwback tunes”. I was immediately hit with a sense of nostalgia and knew that had to be the basis of the song.”

Lovell’s sound is underpinned by the impactful simplicity of The xx’s first album, and in particular the minimalist guitar riffs, which further inspired him as a teenager. As a university graduate, Lovell honed his craft on Ableton with an old laptop that his friend gave him, heavily influenced by the likes of Floating Points, Four Tet, Nightmares on Wax and Caribou. Lovell took his self-taught production style, eclectic taste in music and finessed live elements of the guitar, bass, keys and vocals to finally launch his solo project – common goldfish.

“Low Lights and Throwback Tunes” is not just a continuation of common goldfish’s distinctive psychedelic, British sound, but it’s a development in his music, showcasing more electronic elements. The track combines hedonism and nostalgia, capturing those moments we share with friends and that one iconic throwback tune starts blaring out the speakers. The song carries the listener over into the early hours, leaving them with a sense of nostalgia and optimism.

“The songs about those moments you share with your mates and that one iconic throwback tune starts blaring out the speakers. Before you know it, everyone’s up and dancing, and there’s an energy flowing through the room,” summarizes common goldfish.

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