The Guidance leaves his mark on the world with This Is Now

Listening to the album is like a personal insight into Pruett’s diary entries, hearing about his journey of moving from Chicago to Los Angeles, as he explores a new city and tries to understand the new way of life. Covering emotional turmoil, evolving relationships and living with a congenital heart disease, Pruett was passionate about life and this is reflected in his music and pondering lyrics. Tragically passing away not long after finishing the album, a joint decision was made by his family, producer and label to continue with the release, honouring the tremendous effort that was put into its creation.

From the apologetic and remorseful “I Didn’t Mean That”, to the politically driven “Broken Man” and “Silent Witness Guardian Angel” Pruett shows us his deeply contemplative thought process, refusing to keep quiet about issues that are crippling the world. “Building A Desert” further emphasises his anguish with how modern day living is eroding our planet, singing about how our excessive lifestyle has erased what was once a haven in the desert, he chants, “I'm scared the world will end now baby, but life will just go on”. Although his song themes are heavy and profound, sonically the artist provides much more light-hearted and move-inducing tunes, fusing his love of electronic and dance music with synth-heavy melodies. “Building A Desert” shimmers with a crescendo of layered synths, while his simple, yet powerful vocal delivery emerges from the prismatic soundscapes.

The relatable “FRENZ” touches on the breakdown of a relationship and all it’s ups and downs. Dancing away our worries, Pruett narrates the story of someone who wants their cake and eats it too. Colourful, oscillating synths form a kaleidoscope of sounds, pulling you into his sonic world and demanding you to dance.

Hauntingly, many of Pruett’s lyrics detail death, presumably stemming from his own experiences of loss with his brother, as well as his own battles with health. “Broken Man” and “Hymz” speak about a dying man and going to heaven, topics which often seem to surface throughout his songwriting.

The concluding single aptly named “The End” sends shivers down your spine, as Pruett delivers provoking lyrics which have never rung truer. Echoing words of wisdom, he sings, “The world is a very funny place, full of beauty and unstable grace, we can stop and start it with a choice, use every minute to raise our voice, do we care to learn the lost names or were they meant to fade away in vain”.