‘My 21st Century Blues’ Album Assessment: RAYE Brings a New Level of Artistry to the Sector | Arts
British singer-songwriter RAYE’s debut album “My 21st Century Blues” arrives just months soon after her chart-topping single “Escapism.” Even though this is her to start with album, she is in no way new to the tunes sector. Signed to Polydor Documents from 2014 to 2021, she wrote tracks for Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding, and John Legend, also collaborating with EDM artists like David Guetta and Joel Corry. Newly unbiased from her label, RAYE is now using gain of her newfound resourceful manage to craft the songs she wants to make. As she fuses components of blues and synth-pop with her own design and style, RAYE channels her rage, trauma, and frustrations into the candid and superbly juxtaposed record.
The album commences with “Introduction.,” which welcomes listeners to a 21st-century blues club and potential customers into her future keep track of “Oscar Successful Tears.” A strong ballad that escalates to a belt, RAYE’s “Oscar Winning Tears.” describes a manipulative connection that she refuses to tolerate any more time. Nevertheless intended for chronological listening, the album is a compilation of the music RAYE has required to release above the decades and so lacks a clear-cut storyline.
Her guide solitary “Hard Out Listed here.,” initial launched in June 2022, is RAYE’s initially unbiased release soon after leaving her former label, Polydor Information. She channels her rage as the track escalates into a condemnation of male executives in the music marketplace with the line “All the white adult males CEOs, fuck your privilege / Get your pink chubby arms off my mouth, fuck you believe this is?” Referencing how she experienced been silenced by her past history label and the cases of sexual assault she expert, RAYE reclaims her title with “Hard Out Right here.,” “Ice Cream Man.,” and “Black Mascara.”
“My 21st Century Blues” addresses a enormous scope of modern day dilemmas like the weather crisis and entire body image with “Environmental Nervousness.” and “Body Dysmorphia.” The active buzzing at the start off of “Environmental Panic.” foreshadows the chaotic lyrics, which spiral into a frenzy of worries that RAYE voices. The song’s lyrics are fairly basically anxiety-inducing as RAYE operates by lists of uncontrollable matters like the state of the weather disaster, the overconsumption of social media, and the variety of world leaders.
“Escapism.,” that includes a verse by 070 Shake, is unquestionably the highlight of this album. With dim, sultry lyrics set to a catchy defeat, the song describes the descent into a cycle of alcoholism, drug abuse, and meaningless sex to offer with heartbreak. Her chorus echoes, “I never wanna really feel how I did last evening / Health practitioner, health care provider, nearly anything, you should / Health care provider, doctor, have mercy on me / You’re inquiring for my indicators, health practitioner, I never wanna feel” as she begs her medical doctor for remedies that will numb her emotions.
The album comes to a near with “Fin.” — a wonderful tribute to these who contributed to the generation of “My 21st Century Blues.” This album marks RAYE’s to start with independent launch with producer Mike Sabath and options each British R&B singer Mahalia and 070 Shake.
“My 21st Century Blues” delivers a refreshing vitality to the audio scene with RAYE’s juxtaposition of catchy, upbeat dance tracks with raw, psychological lyrics. With its tracks previously trending on platforms like TikTok, the album marks a promising begin to RAYE’s unbiased audio vocation.