Zachary Mason shares power of love in “Madness Gladness”

There’s something naturally cinematic about Zachary Mason’s latest single, “Madness Gladness.” It’s a blooming, reverb-kissed dreamscape reminiscent of floating, dazed, and dreamy through an otherworldly, dazzling reverie. But concealed beneath its atmospheric appeal is a long and winding road, a voyage that says as much about Mason’s tenacity as it does about his artistic self-discovery.

Originally recorded in September 2021, “Madness Gladness” underwent three different recording sessions before it became the record that coalesced in early 2025. It’s a song that has haunted its creator in a good way. “Madness Gladness” tells the story of a character who is swallowed by the sheer force of love. That love is messy, beautiful, and disorienting. Mason takes it all in with a sound palette that skews heavily toward dream pop and tips the hat to his soft folk-rock roots.

This is a global production. Mixed and mastered by Derrick Lin in Hong Kong (his fifth time with Mason), the song has a slick, head wrap house-in-space feel that sounds tailor-made for headphones. Nate Barnes plays dynamic, sensitive drum work that subtly pushes the song’s emotion, and John Thomasson of Little Big Town walks in a bassline that hums with quiet confidence.

While some fans may have wished for something more rock-driven, “Madness Gladness” features something as important as development. The 27-year-old, who hails from Guildford in the UK, is unafraid to go where the music takes him. With at least 200 demo tracks since 2021, he is an artist unafraid of trial, error, and reinvention.

This is Mason’s ninth official single and fourteenth overall release to date. “Madness Gladness” indicates that he’s getting better and better at translating his cosmos into profoundly resonating soundscapes. For fans of something a bit dreamy but earthy, romantic but pensive, “Madness Gladness” is a gem and a track worth listening to.

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