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Songwriter, vocalist and producer HXRY is faithful to the marriage story of his own universe. The Chicago-based artist has awakened a peace of mind during the making and release of the 6-song project "Piece Of Mind." And perhaps by the end of the project you'll have your own coordinates to a content universe, or at the very least to a more musically divergent planet.
In a project full of help from features by Aaliyah Allah and Jeff Doubleday to producing partners Ordnry Yngstr, Kaelin Ellis, Lophiile and Chromonicci, "Piece Of Mind" moves with one mission in sight: Regardless of the project seemingly being a metaphor for music, the introductory song "Back N' Forth" is one of those tracks you're too heartrendingly single to bare. A pale chord progression wakes up the song as if they're an altered version of the "Bridal Chorus" specifically tailored for someone left at the alter. Clicking percussion paired with electronic bass and varied sounds fall into the mercy of jelly drums keeping said trip tiresome but addictive enough to continue the fall. HXRY's ephemeral vocal riffs during the pre-chorus shove "Back N' Forth's" emotions up towards the verge of crying. His gusty melodies and falsetto in the chorus work in tandem with painting the music like a flashback. Such a steering intro writes the tone that allows the rest of the work to show the bones during the reconstruction of this relationship.
The following ballad "Hold On" is akin to using funky electronic R&B as a classification, but due to the vocal performance and self-reflective songwriting the movement of the track is frozen -- feeling like a betrayal to the groove. Old time blues piano chords and desolate melodies simply express thoughts and feelings. The smoking drums and peppered percussion falsify a feeling of lightness in their rhythm as the track's changes release the underlying feeling of pressure and begins to move the way it always wanted to. If not for this song's turmoil the rest of "Piece Of Mind," I believe, wouldn't sound so deserved.
The penultimate song "Alaskan Thunderf*ck" and final cut "MRFREEZE" (feat. Jeff Doubleday) is where within the concept of the project HXRY's relationship with music is thriving and back in a fun space. The reverb chords on "AT" play a crazy counter-melody. The layers of chords on "MRFREEZE" chime like chords stuck in steel pan drums and the flows, adlibs and chorus on the track evoke the Bar-Kays, Bootsy Collins, Parliament and Funkadelic, priding itself on being unapologetically black.
"Piece Of Mind" is a progression of expression. The music goes from giving what's bothering you a deserved sound to proving the feeling of creative freedom as a sound. A winning conclusion if I've ever heard one.
Listen to "Piece Of Mind" below.
Lead Photo Cred: soundcloud.com
Songwriter, vocalist and producer HXRY is faithful to the marriage story of his own universe. The Chicago-based artist has awakened a peace of mind during the making and release of the 6-song project "Piece Of Mind." And perhaps by the end of the project you'll have your own coordinates to a content universe, or at the very least to a more musically divergent planet.
In a project full of help from features by Aaliyah Allah and Jeff Doubleday to producing partners Ordnry Yngstr, Kaelin Ellis, Lophiile and Chromonicci, "Piece Of Mind" moves with one mission in sight: Regardless of the project seemingly being a metaphor for music, the introductory song "Back N' Forth" is one of those tracks you're too heartrendingly single to bare. A pale chord progression wakes up the song as if they're an altered version of the "Bridal Chorus" specifically tailored for someone left at the alter. Clicking percussion paired with electronic bass and varied sounds fall into the mercy of jelly drums keeping said trip tiresome but addictive enough to continue the fall. HXRY's ephemeral vocal riffs during the pre-chorus shove "Back N' Forth's" emotions up towards the verge of crying. His gusty melodies and falsetto in the chorus work in tandem with painting the music like a flashback. Such a steering intro writes the tone that allows the rest of the work to show the bones during the reconstruction of this relationship.
The following ballad "Hold On" is akin to using funky electronic R&B as a classification, but due to the vocal performance and self-reflective songwriting the movement of the track is frozen -- feeling like a betrayal to the groove. Old time blues piano chords and desolate melodies simply express thoughts and feelings. The smoking drums and peppered percussion falsify a feeling of lightness in their rhythm as the track's changes release the underlying feeling of pressure and begins to move the way it always wanted to. If not for this song's turmoil the rest of "Piece Of Mind," I believe, wouldn't sound so deserved.
The penultimate song "Alaskan Thunderf*ck" and final cut "MRFREEZE" (feat. Jeff Doubleday) is where within the concept of the project HXRY's relationship with music is thriving and back in a fun space. The reverb chords on "AT" play a crazy counter-melody. The layers of chords on "MRFREEZE" chime like chords stuck in steel pan drums and the flows, adlibs and chorus on the track evoke the Bar-Kays, Bootsy Collins, Parliament and Funkadelic, priding itself on being unapologetically black.
"Piece Of Mind" is a progression of expression. The music goes from giving what's bothering you a deserved sound to proving the feeling of creative freedom as a sound. A winning conclusion if I've ever heard one.
Listen to "Piece Of Mind" below.
Lead Photo Cred: soundcloud.com
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