The project undoubtedly speaks volumes for the artist behind it, the ideas and the style introduce equal parts character and passion, which should serve him well in the long run.
Los Angeles--California--USA
The whole thing feels like a hypnotic audio journey fit for those long nights in at home. The voices though, the lyrics & details, the multiple personas – all of this adds something a little more interesting & with a more intentional direction.
Red Lagoon hits a little harder with each new listen. In the way that certain songs from throughout our musical history have a particular depth or thread of swagger & originality about them – Twist In My Sobriety, Wicked Game, to name just a couple – this song soon proves itself to have that same timeless quality.
Yvonne Sangudi introduces a confident and colourful approach to dance-hall and modern pop with the single MistaRomeo. Taking hints of inspiration from the likes of Shakira, there’s a definite level of energy and personality to the song that gives it a unique edge.
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.
Phantom Vibrations sees former Awolnation member David Amezcua take a step in a notably new direction. Stranger is a smooth & rather nostalgic indie-pop song, bringing through classic or vintage vibes. It feels fit to accompany a scene in some classic coming of age movie.
The song brings together professional performance and production, creativity, passion, and a topic that’s increasingly finding itself at the forefront of modern life.
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.
The video & the song work in unison to portray the idea that it’s totally possible, OK, and encouraged, to speak up in the face of bullying. There’s a shared humanity in all of us, and nobody is out of reach or too disconnected to be approached.
This song takes a little from all of the best places in music – crafting before you an immersive experience, one that works on a purely musical level, as well as reaching out to connect with our inner humanness; our less talked about feelings & connections to one another.
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.
There’s a clear level of freedom within the writing, a certain sense of being carefree – lost in the harmony, wrapped up in the melody – and thanks to all of this in unison, the effect passes over to you as you listen.