Panes, who plays mandolin and guitar, is accompanied by Georgie Harris (Viola), Joanne Sy (Cello), Sean Hatton (Drums) and Deborah Panes (Vocals).
Panes is a British songwriter with a guitar to his chest and a heart swelling with hopes and dreams. A common on-paper pitch, perhaps, and one sold a thousand times before. But Dorset-born Panes has something special to offer those willing to wait a while for their favourite songs to settle into place.
Panes’ debut album, ‘Little Giant’, isn’t a collection operating at the vanguard of a cutting-edge, ultimately transient scene worthy of clicks for the next few months. It’s not an album that sets out to trick its audience in any way – what you hear is succinct, honest songwriting, from a place of deep personal expression, resonating with universal truths and values. It’s an embracing set, a welcoming one, which represents everything that its maker has worked towards since first picking up a guitar and exploring his innermost thoughts and feelings through song. No follower of fashion, Panes walks to his own beat.
It’s a strange admission for any artist, but nevertheless: “I’ve never really listened to much music,” says Panes. “Influences from other artists, they’re not really that important. I find that my music comes to me from situations I find myself in – those situations can come to me as songs. In terms of first picking up an instrument, my granny was a classical pianist – we’d go to her house, hear her play, and run around in circles. And my mum used to be in a travelling theatre company, so I was encouraged towards culture, towards the arts. But I always thought: if I want to listen to music, I’ll just write it.”
Don’t mistake confidence for arrogance – such statements come from a sincere place, as Panes’ upbringing in Wimborne, once home to novelist Thomas Hardy, proved more inspirational to his writing than any sessions in the company of a parent’s record collection. The natural beauty of Dorset’s open spaces – and those of the Lake District, a place he loves to visit – have become woven into the fabric of his craft. The peace, the silent solitude: it’s here that Panes feels more alive with ideas than he does in the hubbub of his adopted home of London. There’s a pastoral warmth to ‘Little Giant’ that couldn’t have manifested had its roots been laid within urban limits.
The comfort of home, of a tight and supportive family, punctuates proceedings throughout Panes’ debut LP – which is perhaps inevitable, as the collection was recorded there. Beside producer Rupert Coulson – a man with numerous soundtrack credits, as well as experience of working on records by Portishead, Robbie Williams and Oasis – Panes and his band captured the classic 12-string guitar sounds, rippling percussion and sweeping strings that decorate ‘Little Giant’ in, says the singer, “the music room, down at our house – just a small, wooden-floored room. I thought, why not keep the recording close to where I write the songs?”
He continues: “I’m a really big fan of the idea that you don’t need all the stuff you find in a big studio – it’s about how you use the things you do have. Rupert had a lot of imagination, and got a good grasp of the room and harnessed it. I love working in places that have an atmosphere, and I think it’s good to have that extra, background noise on a record. I’m sure there’s an ambulance on the album, actually.”
He was, briefly, the face of a Burberry campaign, something he describes as “random”. “I was on tour,” he says, “and I got a phone call asking me to do it. I just grabbed the opportunity that was in front of me. I went in a musician, and came out a musician. It’s a short episode in my life, but one that’s had some quite big repercussions.” Indeed, a Google search pulls up many attractively composed black-and-white photographs of Panes sporting fine threads – but it’s music that surges strongest in his veins, above all other passions.
And now that you’ve separated your senses from social media for a while, closed your chattering inbox, just what does ‘Little Giant’ offer above more garden variety singer-songwriter recordings? A little patience provides the answers: this is material that truly connects on an emotional level, its gentle rhythms and compelling cadences topped by vocals that can’t be faked, that come characterised by a complete lack of artifice and affectation. His is a deep voice, one that sounds aged beyond its years, perhaps. And yet, it’s telling of timeless stories, endless ache and forever love. It asks that we all find the right way to see the world around us.
One number that specifically addresses the need for optimism is the single ‘Tiger Striped Sky’. Says Panes: “It’s about the idea where we can look at any situation ahead of us in two ways: either it’s challenging, and off-putting, or you can say that you love a challenge. It’s about the idea that you chose your context, and if you put yourself into a negative context, you’re going to come out with stripes on you.”
The title track is about addressing one’s own shortcomings in order to better themselves. “It’s accepting that you have to realise your own vulnerabilities in order to become stronger,” says Panes. “That’s why there’s the line, ‘Have the heart of a giant / But know you’re a man.’ You have to take things step by step. It’s also got that message of hope, as well.”
These songs are, says Panes, “personal, and vulnerable – but expansive, too. Because I don’t want it to just be about me. Here’s a bit of me, to help you understand a bit of you. I think positivity and hope are things worth giving to people, and I think that the album does transmit a lot of hope.”
Deeper Than Shallow
Roo Panes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the ripples went, I don't know
Mirror waters swam around my toes
I was deeper than shallow
Going deeper than shallow
Sight to see beyond reflection's dancing eyeline
And half-truth lessons
Like a skylight, you looked up at me
And you were deeper than shallow
You were deeper than shallow
And I felt known for the very first time
And I felt seen for the very first time
And I felt loved for the very first time
Oh, I felt seen for the very first time
The lyrics of Roo Panes' song Deeper Than Shallow speak about reaching a deeper level of connection and understanding with someone. The first verse sets the scene of two individuals drifting in unknown waters, where the direction and outcome of their journey is uncertain. The second verse introduces the idea that beyond the surface level of reflection and half-truth lessons lies a greater, more meaningful connection that can be discovered.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "deeper than shallow," emphasizing the contrast between the depths of a meaningful connection and the shallowness of superficial interactions. The bridge of the song introduces a moment of vulnerability, as the singer confesses that they feel "known, seen, and loved" for the first time, as a result of the deepening connection they have shared.
In essence, the song's message is about the transformative power of connecting with someone on a deep and authentic level. It speaks to the idea that our greatest fulfillment comes from experiencing genuine intimacy with others, and that this kind of connection can only be earned by venturing beyond the surface level.
Line by Line Meaning
We were drifting deeper than shallow
We were going beyond the surface level of things
Where the ripples went, I don't know
The unknown path we were taking wasn't a concern at that moment
Mirror waters swam around my toes
The calmness of the waters by our feet held a profound peace
I was deeper than shallow
I was exploring more of who I truly am
Going deeper than shallow
Continuing to uncover more of myself
Sight to see beyond reflection's dancing eyeline
The ability to see past surface-level reflections and appearances
And half-truth lessons
Not just accepting or believing things at face value, but questioning their validity
Like a skylight, you looked up at me
Looking up to see the higher, greater aspects of each other
And said, "I see you."
Acknowledging and accepting each other for who we truly are
And you were deeper than shallow
The other person was also exploring themselves on a deeper level
You were deeper than shallow
Acknowledging the other person's depth and growth
And I felt known for the very first time
Feeling understood and accepted in a way never experienced before
And I felt seen for the very first time
Feeling truly acknowledged and recognized
And I felt loved for the very first time
Experiencing genuine love and connection
Oh, I felt seen for the very first time
Reiterating the profound experience of being seen and understood
Contributed by Charlotte Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@emmabotha2450
I didn't think you could ever improve after the Burberry sessions, but this is a work of art <3
@didoufree
Love this one so much
@didoufree
This is so beautiful.
@ZetaFalcon
We were drifting deeper than shallow
Where the ripples went I don't know
Mirror waters swam around my toes
I was deeper than shallow
Going deeper than shallow
Sight to see beyond reflection's
Dancing eye-line, and half-truth lessons
Like a skylight you looked up at me
And said "I see you"
And you were deeper than shallow
You were deeper than shallow
And I felt known for the very first time
And I felt seen for the very first time
And I felt loved for the very first time
Oh I felt seen for the very time
@imagine778
such a beautiful album <33
@mks3238
Nice voice 😌❤
@akashtiwari5729
💜❤💜❤💜
@shamanilgin
I don't know if it is a temporary problem, but the links are broken. If you fix it, I can buy :) Awesome music! Keep up the good work!
@roopanes
Hi - these are fixed now!