The soundscape itself loops out & around you as a soothing constant – that riff, that subtle sense of rhythm, that voice; all of it connects in a masterful yet natural way. Fusing poetry with personal reflections on life, the lyrics captivate & offer a fine balance between individual truth and a more widely accessible feeling of isolation or being lost.
Soul
I Need You by the Stone MG’s was outright one of the best songs from this past year. Incidentally, Apocalypse Now is widely considered one of the best epic films of all time. The band have just brought the two offerings together in a brilliantly captivating manner for this video release. Fantastic, a brilliant tribute to a timeless classic.
The Stone MG’s have exemplified the grip of addiction on this latest single, and what a song – perfectly highlighting the conflict addicts experience between the sweet lure of their chosen vice & the freedom of walking away.
The band’s sound well & truly raises them up higher than the average, end of the street funk ensemble – there’s an edge of rock, a backbone of soul & passion, and everything else you might hope for in an unwaveringly impressive collective.
Insomniac is one of the best songs to come out this side of the year – undoubtedly one of the most interesting and impressive releases from The Keymakers to date; and they always hit the mark anyway.
There are multiple layers of vocals within this piece, but once you know where you are, this works to reinforce each idea & to present a choir-like sense of calm & togetherness – something that holds close to the inherent values of the song & indeed the artist.
There hasn’t been an RnB or soul singer with something quite so unique and genuine for a while now. Of course you never know what that unique trait will be until you hear it, but this is it; without a doubt.
The various vocal sections add further to the passion & creativity – the intensity & pace increases, the song starts to hit harder. The final moments are huge, a backing choir and a kicked up beat create beautiful chaos behind the artist’s soulfully meandering voice.
Baker’s voice, and indeed the additional vocal snippets that accompany it, brings listeners a sense of vulnerability & confidence intertwined. It’s as if there’s absolute adoration at work – alongside of a sheer need to create music & express the feeling through art.
“I would tell artists to become resourceful, be mindful of your business, leverage your network & have fun. Join organizations, listen to music business podcasts. Find the way that works best for you in order to learn & arm yourself with information that can help you in your journey.”
The whole EP has a stunning smoothness to it & in fact, to listen in full is to get the feeling that this is all part of a single thought or feeling. There’s only six minutes to make your way through, but when it ends, you feel the loudness of that silent void quite intensely.
You’re encouraged to look ahead, and even behind – not merely seeing what’s in the here & now, but seeing things much more deeply. Easily worth two or three listens in a row, to make sure every idea & its clever connection to the music supporting it really sinks in.