Lew Houston drives with a quickly impressive vocal style and rap flow on this single Safe. Accompanied only by a fairly minimalist yet classic hip hop beat, a reasonably dark aura emerges from the offset, and it’s left to Houston to create a sense of intensity and movement among that – a task he more than meets the bar for.
That vocal tone is a huge part of why this release works so well, Houston’s voice is expressive and loaded with personality – not to mention easily and naturally confident enough to win you over from afar. To craft a track that seems like it consistently evolves and changes, with various different sections at work, without utilising too many musical shifts or drops, is no easy thing. Lew Houston builds an entire story-line and series of scenes around his audience, using purely his own voice for the most part.
As the track progresses, over four minutes of mild theatrics hold tight to your attention from start to finish. The details and the passion with which he presents all of this work well in unison. The dark vibe makes you feel inclined to listen, it intrigues, and though there’s a laid back aura to his performance – there’s also something notably emotional about it; depending on what each moment requires.
The classic hip hop vibe occasionally gets left behind in modern rap, maybe in the case of an artist being unable to keep things entertaining on their own. In this case, Lew Houston needs only the strength of his own lyricism and his ability to deliver and to keep the pace effortlessly.
This whole project impresses but Safe undoubtedly makes for a great way to kick off the playlist. Worth a look for fans of the well-rooted hip hop sound.
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