Sunderland songwriter Mattie Vant returns in a new form with the debut release from Father Hell, the introspective and understated new project from the former VANT frontman.
New single 'Let Go' marks a significant shift away from the sharp-edged social commentary associated with VANT, instead leaning into ambiguity, instinct and emotional fragmentation. Written and recorded in just a few days at Vant’s own studio, The Lightly Padded Cell, the track pairs nylon-string guitar with uneasy cello arrangements from Sophie Sayer, later receiving a fully analogue mix and master from Mike Halls of Clean Cut Kid.
The result feels intentionally unpolished and immediate. Vocals drift through themes of overstimulation, anxiety and dislocation, while subtle echoes of 'The Times They Are a-Changin’' hint at the songwriting influences that shaped the project’s direction.
Following a prolonged creative block after VANT’s last release in 2021, Vant immersed himself in the catalogues of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Neil Young, using their work as a way to dismantle and rebuild his own approach to writing.
Have a listen to 'Let Go' in the player below.