Maxwell Varey Finds Comfort in the Unknown on New Single ‘Pale Blue Dot’

Tired of the dull humdrum of the nine to five, Wigan’s own Maxwell Varey set out on the existentially arduous journey of becoming an artist at 18 years old. 

With a desire to capture elements of his life and perspective into solid, barebones, timeless song writing, he follows in the tradition of indie-rock greats like Catfish & The Bottlemen, The Velvet Underground, and The Arctic Monkeys. 

Coming off the success of his 2023 EP, ‘Ivory’, 2024 singles 'Messin’ Around’ and ‘This Town’, this most recent single ‘Pale Blue Dot’ sees him grappling with the sentiment many of us do - the significance of life in the modern era. Varey pens a pretty engaging call to action for all the fellow world-weary, to find peace in the unknown and make meaning with those you care about through taught self-declaration. 

The beginning’s sparse, watery guitar and ominously crooned vocals set the stage for the main idea to hit with as much impact as possible, as Varey sings the opening lines, “Yeah there's nothing wrong, a small fish in the pond / Nothing matters, on a pale blue dot / Just relax / Even in the light of dark, caught up in a blind spot”. From there both the instrumental intensity and vocal delivery begin to grow with an understated fervour as an acoustic guitar and soft synth begin to worm their way into the sonic landscape. We then crash into the wall of distorted guitars and reverb that is the chorus and are greeted with the lyrical declaration, “No one's looking down on us / But I've got everything I'd need / Just you and me suspended in a sunbeam” a sentiment that is both a call back to the starting refrain and as a response to the realisations of the first verse. As the song progresses we get this cacophony of rolling drums creating a chant-like rhythm under the final verse and chorus to take us to the end of the track.

All in all, the song is a master class in tension and release on all auditory fronts and a must-listen for fans of this particular brand of punk-inspired, frenetic indie rock. If you aren't already, Maxwell Varey is definitely a name to watch in the scene!

Kenneth Butcher

@kazu_kb 

Image: 'Pale Blue Dot’ Official Single Cover