Higher Ground by Alternate Jane AKA Janice Leong is a fresh take on classic rock as a genre. She comes in with her dynamic blend of energy, melody and sheer grit. The track starts off with a mood-building guitar strum that is amplified by the synth. Jane’s gentle voice is in direct contrast with the soft-punk/rock atmosphere of the instruments.

As the song picks up the pace with the drums, guitars and synth, you hear the resemblance to evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life”. Jane has an altered hook that adds so much texture to the song as she softens her voice when the song peaks. The guitar and the synth combo add an eerie quality to the song that evokes Gothic yet romantic imagery. 

A story that plays with gothic imagery, morality and romance brilliantly is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. It’s no secret that Jane Eyre is the captain of the “I can fix him” club. The Bronté sisters have however mastered the art of slow burn. The readers and viewers are left screaming “How are you so smart and this naive at the same time? He has his wife locked up in his attic!”. Higher Ground can be played as the house goes up in flames and we are left with the imagery of Bertha, Jane and Edward standing in one frame and in the fire. 

Alternate Jane has captured multiple genres in one song. The production quality of the song is top-notch, giving each instrument its space to shine. She has a way with words and her voice is as smooth as silk, transporting you to a world she meticulously engineered. To say that she’s greatly talented is an understatement.