Nephew Sam is back on form with his latest offering and collaboration. CPR33 presents more of that ambient, colourful instrumentation as introduced by Lift Me Up, this time around though Sam more actively takes on the role of a deep thinking story-teller. Every voice here is soaked in auto-tune and appears far more electronically woven into the soundscape than before. Lyrically though – particularly during the opening verse, the impressive work of artist No Hart – the lines reach out to connect in a freshly appealing way.
The verses are definitely where the strength lies, the simple melody of the hook has a certain relevancy today, for sure – Nephew Sam knows how to craft easy going tunes for modern fans of the genre – it’s the wordplay and the flow of the verses that stands a little taller in this case; particularly in the way they contrast with the gentle ambiance of the backdrop. When the track first emerges, the hook and some other distant vocals collide and collaborate to create what is effectively a fade-in. The song then appears like a short scene revealed as the curtain is drawn open. After this, the lyrics work to find a clever balance between that which is incredibly personal and that which is more widely accessible.
The experiences dictated and the ideas seem true to a single character, which genuine fans tend to really appreciate and find honest and endearing in an artist they admire. Many of the lines also seem a little more vague though, so at the same time you get something that’s easy to relate to and feel involved in. That’s often what people turn to hip hop or RnB for in the first place – to escape or enhance a more mundane reality, to feel involved in something or like they belong to something.
Nephew Sam and No Hart are clearly on the same wavelength creatively, their writing styles and their voices fit well on this track, and for this reason it pours through smoothly and with a connected sense of rhythm and energy. The vocal deliveries are collectively in keeping with the mood and the set-up of the backdrop. It feels relevant, it brings listeners the simple good vibes to see the weekend through in style, and it marks another creative step forwards for everyone involved.
Download the track via iTunes or stream it on Spotify. Find & follow Nephew Sam on Twitter. Check out No Hart on Twitter.
