The violin, they say, may be the most evocative instrument, bar the human voice. Once I got swiped with midi-backed strings, mid-track, I though they carried a brand of evocation that fit in my pocket, in the space where my iPod used to go…
That’s right! Today I was lucky enough to get a sneak-peak of a new track by Irish Hip-Hop artist, Saul Blake!
And it’s the era of the iPod and paper magazines that come to mind as I switch this banger on. Within the first few bars of this track, it seems clear to me that Saul’s got his game on, harder than previous efforts, even. These vocals have been honed and sharpened, aiming at the beats and pitch, and landing their punches in precise formation.
If i could talk openly to the drum-track, I’d be reminding them they have nowhere to hide. Their destiny is as secured as pac-dots on a rhythmic game of powered-up Pac-Man. If I could then consult the track’s vibe, I might say it’s done something decent with the torch the likes of Lil Peep would brandish.
I’ll come right out and say it. We’ve got that hip-hop, got that trap, got that emo even, set to a gruff, straightforward attitude supplied by our boy Saul. So I dropped the term emo! It’s undeniable that the river-clean guitars aren’t laced with certain drippings of sanguine, however: all is not lost to the worlds of despair. These lyrics might not come to terms with, or solve their dilemma right there and then, but what they do accomplish is highlighting the power of music used in this fashion. It does this in the “what other way would you expect?” kind-of way. It feels natural.
It’s the general audience’s job as a collective of individuals to guess, and make their own conclusions on the lyrics. The beautiful simplicity of the “open-letter lyric”… well, it’s worked since the beginning of time. Sordid or very heartfelt alike, the audience should have no bother relating, pondering, or finding lack in the universal hidden within the particular here. Of course, this track is decidedly less “sordid” than “totally heartfelt”, yeah, guys: Saul means what he spits. He also might be a little confused about how she feels, maybe even a little “remorseful” (yet has the insight not to go “full whack” regret!)
It’s fresh music by an artist, still relatively fresh himself. These beats, midriffs and general ethos of the track, may stem from a time when this style was newer than it is today, but it does not dwell, or stay there. The cherry on the top of this track is it’s climbing energy and open heart.
We can see you have soul, Saul. Keep ‘er lit, keep the dream alive!
9/10
The Humble Rock Dove 