Written by Pat Moran
With warm oscillating synths, louche rimshot beats and warbling wordless vocals that conflate a muted trumpet’s call with the siren’s cry of Ennio Morricone collaborator Edda Dell’Orso, “Vibration” sets the stage for a chill, R&B-inflected closely-miked vocal rumination. But then Darcebeat, and producer/beatmaker Sennen Ntul Aggrey, better known as calliemajik, push through the cloud layer of enveloping cool they’ve spun like a warm cocoon and commit fully to the ascending multilayered pop confection they’re co-creating.
Streaming contrails of lush velvety production, distant winsome electric piano and dulcet tolling percussion, dueling male vocals entwine, enfold and release. The main vocal line pleads and implores with a lover.
“I just want to hold you tight/You know you really blind my eyes”
But in is the recurring chorus, a soothing narcotic incantation, that lodges in the listener’s brain:
“Vibration/Temptation/Innovation”
The true innovation here is that Darcebeat and calliemajik have merged their cool and smoky Afro House atmospherics with an unapologetic pop tone poem that is uplifting yet naggingly bittersweet all at the same time. They’ve managed to have it all.
Take a Listen
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