Apparition Party is a track that almost, almost comes through with the familiarity of a number of recent releases that have torn down the barriers between rock and rap. However, the further you get into this single, the more any and all comparisons start to fall away. The song evolves into something incredibly heavy and smooth all at once. The production is superb, firstly – the soundscape is detailed and complex yet everything appears so connected and complete. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for many producers to successfully fuse the dreamlike and the hard-hitting. In this case though, something unusual and striking has been created.
From the offset, the bass-heavy intensity of the opening beat suggests that something chaotic and angry will follow. Straight after this though, the delicacy of the first verse comes into play, the leading artist’s voice appears with a certain softness – a seductive RnB style performance draws you emotionally into the centre of the story. And this is the third thing to really make the track stand out. The lyrics are completely new; the story is uncommon and has you gripped from start to finish. It’s poetic on occasion, and at other times it’s incredibly personal – as if the songwriter is genuinely baring his soul, in an unedited and deeply human manner. As the emotion of the song varies, so does the instrumentation, and indeed the vocal melody and the passion with which it’s delivered.
Structurally, the song reflects everything about its underlying sentiment. The complex and unpredictable evolution of the soundscape reflects the dark and unsettled feelings that come through in the lyrics, all of which leads powerfully towards what is a thoroughly effective and memorable hook. As an artist, songwriter, and producer, the 15th is undeniably creative and expressive. The originality is sky high, as is the professionalism, and that’s a mighty combination.
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