In a loud world, quiet time is much needed. But even more so when that silence comes unexpectedely, veiled beautifully by music that is complete on its own, making you forget that there’s no voice accompanying it. Outstandingly captivating and delivering in both production and composition, Cold Hearts by InnerCity Bang, will enter your playlist and stay there.
Note: Start streaming the EP while we’re breaking down the songs for you one by one.
The project is led by A Little Rain, a 4 minute mood (yes we call it a mood because it is not just an intro and not a format-abiding track). It is a genius composition that emphasizes the pure sounds of nature: birds chirping and towards the end, a snippet of actual rain. The leading synth, however, makes sure to dictate the suaveness of the melody, also letting us know in advance, we’re in for a ride!
The second instrumental Don’t Trip snatches your attention from that quiet space of A Little Rain, and takes you to a more conversation-like play of sounds, with super high piano notes in the back and soft, light touches in the front. InnerCity Bang manages to create a gorgeous back-and-forth dynamic between the lower notes and the rest of the instruments, drums included.
Then we have Falling Fast, which starts out pretty calm only to be contrasted drastically by the horns’ blow and leading us straight into a very commercial sounding R&B track. This instrumental could literally be on the charts right now. If, for example, Tinashe took it, she’d break it into Top 100. Falling Fast is a stunning song that is very welcomed in the built-up melodical sequence from A Little Rain.
As the fourth track, Cliff gave us On My Own, a swift mood changer. But not too much, just a bit less aggressive than the 3rd song. If Falling Fast felt like someone breaking up, On My Own feels like make-up sessions that involve heavy touching. Those pauses between instruments, the flirtatious percussion present throughout the 3 minutes and 29 seconds, the chill piano, make up one word and one word alone for this instrumental: seductive.
Lo and behold, InnerCity Bang left the best for last. I had to step away from my desk, dance, then come back to finishing the article. We’re talking about One Time, the fifth, and my personal favorite, instrumental from Cold Hearts. While it opens with a melancholic flute, it dives right into an aggravating rhythm, taking you by surprise and having you glued to the speakers. One Time is an absolute earworm, a highly infectious tune that you’re gonna be trying to immitate for the next couple of hours. High energy but not party-like, extremely danceable, but not to sweat it out. It’s almost as if InnerCity Bang anticipated each note and counterbalanced it with the doleful piano chords. Perfect.
Heels walking away and a smashed closed door, that’s the start of Walk Away, the last instrumental on Cold Hearts. It is honestly impressive how Cliff intercalated so well the songs one after another, making each song unique but still complementary of each other. Walk Away feels like a rich person’s breakup mood. I am dead serious. I can almost hear the guy saying ”We’re both hurting but you will be fine, and I will be fine too. Have a good life.” Those relationships when someone gives you the most intense three months of your life, but then they decide to end it abruptly and you can’t move on for another year or two. Like I said, sophistication at its best.
Cold Hearts fascinatingly manages to impose a complex atmosphere with its rich tonalities and suave dynamic. The title might say cold, but you WILL develop emotions towards this EP and will keep replaying it. You’ve been warned!
Get Cold Hearts on Apple Music HERE, on Google Play HERE, and on Deezer HERE.
Review by Mariana Berdianu
Blue Rhymez Entertainment ©2020
Blue Rhymez Entertainment 