Aoun is a singer-songwriter and music producer of Palestinian and Jordian origin, based in New York. Having been a musician for over a decade, his latest single “Shears” is an introduction to the artist’s upcoming concept album “The Shepherd and All Her Beautiful Sheep”. The close to seven-minute slow and melancholic track left me with the desire to listen to it in the rain.

True to its singer-songwriter fashion, “Shears” is simple in terms of elements with only strings, vocals and the occasional low keys and few muted beats forming a majority of the track.  The instrumental sections of the bridge feel hopeful while the rest of the bridge is where wind instruments, heavier strings and percussion come in making it feel like a crescendo.
The vocals of Aoun take centre stage with backup vocals by Brooklyn based artist Big Dumb Baby whose vocals have been used sparsely yet effectively throughout. The term “feature” may be misguiding as one might expect a separate verse, but the collaboration does not overpower the soul of the song which lies in its lyrics.

Lyrically the track feels humane and carefully crafted. The theme of sheep and wool are used metaphors to describe the course of a relationship and feels like an ode to the title of the upcoming album. The first verse starting as a dialogue between two, a tender exchange of giving and taking; one using the wool of another. The second verse uses counting sheep as the metaphor for falling asleep and sheep is referenced one last time in the bridge when Aoun says he “walked with the flock”. There is an undercurrent of dependence on one another for shelter in the cold rain and a questioning of whether the relationship can handle turbulence or of its one for the sake of convenience.

“Shears” literally means a cutting instruments in which two blades move past each other and it made me think of contradictions and what they make for in a relationship. I look forward to listening to the rest of the project and hope it continues to be as thought-provoking as this single!