Fresh from the album The Fire, Kendra Black moves stylishly from gentle pop to happy-hardcore with the unexpectedly mighty This Love. To listen from the opening moments is to hear this near-acoustic chord progression, gentle and spacious, upon which Black lays out a rising melody with an elongated, soulful note at the end of each line. In the same instance, you follow the lyrics along, you connect with that voice and the flawless skill with which it delivers, and all of this manages to feel familiar yet new.
Soon enough, you start to witness the energy growing, the musical layers multiplying – new synths and beats and moments appear, in unison with a definite sense of mounting anticipation in the artist’s own vocal performance. By the time the minute mark hits you’re just about ready for the onslaught of high-octane EDM, though when the drop does kick in it’s far more vibrant and even a little more retro than you’re likely to have expected.
Structurally the track showcases a job well done – both in terms of the production and the artist’s own performance. A live show is likely to be where things burst into brightness all the more notably, but as a recording the track is perfect for bringing those somewhat nostalgic dance-pop vibes that were so prominent just a decade or so ago. At the same time, there’s a freshness to the songwriting style – these lyrics deal with love in an unpredictable way, poetry offers metaphor which in turn offers unique insight, and always that personal touch stays present so as to give off a genuine aura and thus let the song connect a little more intimately.
As stated, a mighty track – a powerful melodic progression sees things build and build in an uplifting fashion. A great introduction to the album.
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