Neatly blending soulful R&B grooves with more hip-hop-infused vibes, outcry, the new EP from Aeolus White has the feeling of a modern-day What’s Going On. That’s quite a monumental piece of work to reference. Here, those background street sounds, the sense of him speaking from the heart, blending genres into a modern take on Marvin Gaye’s progressive soul, and even the language used here all echo that earlier iconic album.
But whereas Gaye used that album to discuss the world around him, the social struggles of the times, Aeolus White looks deep within himself, expressing very personal thoughts and feelings pertaining to his own experience of hardship and emotional upheaval, survival, failed relationships, troubled family dynamics, and the challenge of letting go of loved ones.
Yet, despite being a conduit for some quite dark and deeply emotive subjects, the EP is nothing if not wonderfully accessible. The titular single is a smooth and seductive, neo-soul ballad, yet one running on adventurous sonics and digital delicacy and by contrast, there are songs such as “gemini love” which wander into interesting, alt-pop territory.
But for the most part, the songs here are hushed and introspective, understated yet wonderfully ornate in an ambient sort of way, the best of which is “adore me,” a song that feels almost a cappella in the way that its vocal tones and voiced textures weave around each other.
Classic albums are rarely recognized in their own time; one of the key ingredients is the ability to percolate and impress people slowly with the passing of years. But I dare say that the impact that this EP will have as the years pass will only increase. Come back to me in 5, 10, 20 years’ time and tell me I’m wrong!
