We all have those songs that we listen to over-and-over despite plenty of evidence suggesting we shouldn’t. I’m not talking about guilty pleasures here, which take on an almost stereotypical, mocking form of appreciation (not to mention the traces of self-loathing that come with the very best guilty pleasure tracks). I’m talking about songs you are genuinely surprised to love.
You can see where I’m going: Aeris Roves’ Feel Me is that track for me right now. I’m generally not a fan of pop R&B; Feel Me fits squarely in that category. I don’t like auto-tuned vocals; this song starts out immediately with a chopped-up, auto-tuned lyric. I don’t really like many/most of the male R&B performers out right now; I was into this song and Roves’ flow from the jump.
What’s doing it for me in this song is the combination of Roves’ incredibly smooth, elastic voice floating over a spare beat. The production is smartly stripped down; glittering synths, a hushed bass line, and occasional other flashes play in the background so that Roves’ voice and aching falsetto rightly take center stage. The beat is a head-nodder — right on the one, strong, rhythmic, and driving — but the track also feels wonderfully air. There’s space in this song and each time when Roves’ falsetto kicks-up, I feel a physical lift. I inhale. My chest rises. I take a breath.
Kyle Miller aka Aeris Roves is a 20 year old, London-based singer-songwriter. Feel Me is only his second song, so he’s just getting started. Easy (and admittedly early) comparisons include Frank Ocean and Craig David in his prime. Keep an ear out for more from Roves and follow him below.
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