Artist returns with a quiet single that makes a loud statement.

Martin Luke Brown is part of a dying breed of artists that embrace the radio silence. After racking up millions of Spotify plays a few months ago, things pretty much dried up from 21him rather suddenly.

After what feels like an eternity, he has returned to the spotlight with new single Into Yellow, a track that channels Frank Ocean into a personal mission statement. Fans tuning in for the soulful upbeat vibes of old will find none of it here; instead, it feels like Brown has used his time away to realign himself with his own expressionism.

There aren’t any sweeping vocals or stomping rhythms as there would be in a standard track. Brown has decided to make his return quiet and unassumingly personal, preferring to create a sensation of expectation and tension for a moment that never comes. Into Yellow is a track that is all about the build and the journey, inviting listeners along for a climactic voyage to heavenly heights.

The instrumentation might lumber slightly and restrain itself, but Brown’s vocal doesn’t share these limitations. It’s as if Brown has had an epiphany and realised that, while many artists can adopt an upbeat style and energetic pop sounds, few can imitate the power of his vocal deliveries or his command of melody. This is central to Into Yellow’s allure, reminding everyone what exactly it is that makes Brown himself so enticing.