Allysha Joy’s ‘kiss it better’ was birthed in New Orleans from a dream. Waking up in an Airbnb with a melody in her head, Joy ran to an upright piano downstairs and quickly played out the idea before it could disappear. Originally from Melbourne, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has since built a strong presence across the soul, jazz and broken beat scenes, and this latest release carries that same instinctive musicianship through to its final form, recorded at London’s Abbey Road Studios.

Joy takes the lead on both vocals and Rhodes, with the latter particularly prominent throughout the track, lifting the arrangement with its warm, fluid tones. Live drums, bass, guitar and a mix of analogue synths fill out the production without overcrowding it, while her vocals move between intimacy and strength. ‘kiss it better’ has a beautifully organic quality to it. From a song that started with a fleeting moment in New Orleans and ended up becoming something much more fully realised in the studio.