Marshall Love is the stage name of artist and songwriter Charles Lovett. Ind Of True is his first full length project – offering audiences an impressive display of artistry and expression, as well as an easy going, relaxing playlist to sit back and escape to.
Going Back is the opener and starts things off with a stunning soundscape – an acoustic guitar riff meets stylishly with an ambient, down tempo aura, and a reflective hip hop style beat. On top of this, the song emerges firstly with a delicate vocal melody – the song’s hook, subtle yet emotional, quietly moving. Things progress and Marshall Love’s rap verse comes into play, laying out the story line in a personal, intimate manner, feeling both confident and more than capable yet still a little vulnerable, and unquestionably honest. It’s a beautiful balance achieved between these, and this song is striking in a softly memorable, easy to embrace sort of way.
The title track follows and the energy rises high. The ambiance behind the rap flow remains smooth and dreamlike, a slightly more tribal beat appears, tripped- up and creative. On the front line, the rap flow is intense – fast paced and brilliantly rhythmic. That honesty remains, stronger than ever, and as things move forwards the intensity rises in the voice and the additional vocal snippets, and this is backed up superbly by the production work. The hook section has impact in a classic, captivating way; this sense of rhythm and comforting togetherness works well in energizing and inspiring the listener.
Whisper follows and comes through with a notably vintage RnB feel – a seductive softness carries the melody along. The intimacy returns, the rap vocal relevantly feels like a whisper. This track is well placed within the collection, stepping away from the noise of the world and its issues, focusing more intently on the little things, the relationships we hold dear. The instrumentation has another string of freshness about it, keeping the project’s eclecticism alive yet managing to fall in line with the overall mood and the now familiar sound of Marshall Love’s creativity.
The classic vibe of nineties RnB and hip hop continues with the delicate tones and easy going mood of Make It Right. This EP is supremely easy to chill out to, the insight is detailed and unique in that you get a new perspective, a new artist to put your trust in for escapism. Musically you can also rely upon the playlist to calm you down at the right time. Each hook is fairly minimalist but effective in keeping the vibe soothing and still making certain you remember and recognise it next time around.
Friend is a track that really digs deep into the life and experiences of the artist. Marshall Love’s openness and willingness to tell his story so explicitly is more than worthy of an audience’s respect and appreciation. What’s great about this is that the song has been built in a musically gentle way, not throwing the issues or memories loudly into the world, but using the appropriate creativity, writing and performing from the heart, and speaking volumes in this much more natural manner. The ideas connect in a notably personal way and the mood of the music reflects the sentiment beautifully. The song is true to a single experience, but it reaches out to many who’ve lost someone important, and that has so much value.
Part Of Nature (Feat. Brooke) takes things in a bright and colourful direction, feeling much more mainstream or Jay Z than indie or underground. The hook feature adds a gorgeous string of images and a powerful melody that furthers the dynamic. Marshall Love’s verses reflect strongly and bounce off of the chorus vocal, keeping the energy high yet the mood uplifting and joyful. It’s an easily addictive song that brings together a number of enjoyable elements.
Indiana Summer (Feat. LL) makes for the final track of the EP. The smooth and soulful vibes of classic RnB stand tall here, the rhythm and instrumental make-up of the backing track keep things interesting and unusual, the movement of the rap vocal is complex yet hypnotic, and the hook works brilliantly in resolving the feel of the progression and satisfying in the way that any strong summer track should. It’s a great way to finish and this playlist will indeed make for a go-to collection as the spring and summer months step into view.
Download the EP via Bandcamp. Find & follow Marshall Love on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. Visit his Website for more information.
