Digging deep emotionally, Damien Knight leads with vulnerability and realness on this latest two-track EP release.
Bringing through a somewhat classic RnB sound but with a notably contemporary tone and finish, Welcome To The Ride starts things up by stylistically walking the line between rap and melody. Behind this, a piano-led ambiance creates a dreamlike, immersive calm, and Damien’s vocals emerge with plenty of subtle intricacies that prove ultimately recognisable.
The mellow aura of the music suits the reflective, deeply thoughtful nature of the writing perfectly well. The very title of the song is matched by the inclusive resolve of the hook – a moment at which the underlying concept seeks to connect with any and all listeners. Sometimes life takes you through ups and downs you could never have predicted. The song reminds you that this is OK, this is something everyone goes through; as Bill Hicks once stated, life is just a ride.
Two Knights follows on with an immediately more up-front, clear vocal delivery and piano-set-up. With nothing to hide behind, Damien’s vocals really kick in with depth and quiet passion.
Here we get a profoundly poetic series of ideas, intensified immensely by the sudden drop to rhythm and melancholic weight. Then there’s the switch to the rap, more detail pours through, and the whole thing becomes something of a nostalgic hip hop anthem – but with enough of that trip-hop or neo-classical vibe to keep it fresh and emotive.
A much more lyrically dense piece, this one is easily worth more than a few streams in a row. The vocal flow switches gears again during the latter half, tipping its hat to modern music just subtly. In the end, this track feels powerful, epic even, and again seeks to connect with the deep thinkers out there – the insomniacs and the many who unwillingly obsess over things.
Falling Colours is an interesting title for this project. The overall mood is fairly dark, melancholic and well-suited to the kind of lost-in-your-feelings moments spent alone in contemplation. However, conceptually Damien throws the listener a rope on more than one occasion. There is light at the end of the tunnel. So whether the colours have fallen away, or are about to fall – any day now – the EP encapsulates that state of change, that calm before the storm.
Download the music via iTunes. Find & follow Damien Knight on Facebook & Instagram.
