Creatively fusing a subtle yet upbeat soundscape and divinely gentle vocals, Minneapolis-born artist and songwriter Raymnd highlights the very best of his unique songwriting and performance style, with the distinct and enchanting Paranoia.
Built around a modest guitar riff for a twist of something Americana-like, the song is otherwise driven by hints of everything from shoegaze to electro-pop to folk-pop. It’s an easy to love style, perfectly produced, but there’s also a refreshing degree of character and depth to both the performance and the subject matter explored, and Raymnd as a leading artist quite effortlessly captivates.
Inspired by the likes of The Beach Boys as much so as Prince, Raymnd’s breadth of influence results in a distinctly recognisable tone – a voice that softly resounds in both lyric and feel. And this quality shines with memorable brightness, throughout the delicate and dreamy but conceptually rather heavy Paranoia. Raymnd’s lyrics are a huge part of his artistic appeal, and the intricacies of his voice align beautifully with that strength.
Featuring something of an eighties-style Springsteen rhythm, with ethereal keys lighting up the outer edges, Paranoia introduces the breathy and gentle vocal nuance of Raymnd in an intoxicating fashion. The melody meanders from intimate and uncertain to near-falsetto and impassioned. All the while, the lyrics are gripping – a story and scenes of vulnerability and realism, relatable but also fearlessly true to the individual at hand.
Download the album via Apple.
