Julian Powell is someone who has a lot on his mind. Prolific is a word that we throw around a lot here but, this adjective surely applies to Powell and Motiongazer, something we’ve noted a few times. A student of multiple genres, the evolution of Powell has been an oscillating one, touching on sounds like folk, shoegaze, and even R&B.

“Oh My God” is the frank opener for Powell’s latest offering of songs, Olivia, which features reworked old and unused song ideas from a previous collaboration. The record is a different step that Powell had been wanting to go in, yet still maintaining the boundless form of experimental music with song structure. The poignancy of “Oh My God” comes from the somber minor piano chord progression that could’ve been written for a funeral procession. Deflated and unsure where to turn, the song acts as a soul cleansing for Powell or an open confession booth (“I haven’t confessed since Tuesday afternoon / guide my hand and I’ll follow you”), similar to the piano bound E (Eels) or Tom Waits.

Cereal Pairing: Great Grains (the coldest of cereals)