Quinn Soular’s latest single is a massive melodic mix of R&B, afrobeat and pop.
Love is a balancing act and relationships need compromise on both sides at times. That’s the slightly unromantic reality of modern love, but it’s also a reality that has inspired one of the strongest, most moving fresh R&B singles of 2018 to date.
Quinn Soular‘s Halfway is all about this compromise and the desire to meet in the middle with a significant other. This isn’t a foreign subject to most artists, but Soular manages to make it his own.
The lyrics outline a resiliant and optimistic plea for compromise, which Soular’s vocals deliver stunningly well; his voice rings with a deep emotion that sits between introverted defeatism and triumphant passion. It’s an unconventional balance, but it’s one that almost legitimises the track.
And that’s all without talking about the instrumentation, which is infectiously rhythmic with all the makings of a massive summer R&B hit. Combining sub-heavy 808 sounds and the standard electric piano sound, the real magic of the track comes from the flourishes added by djembe drums and marimba. It’s an interesting subversion of the typical R&B sounds with less conventional instruments, which meld with the rich vocal melodies to create a layered sound that could easily have been a cut on More Life.
The balancing act of love isn’t for everyone, but it’s worked wonders for Quinn. Halfway oozes with the musical maturity and expertise that you seldom find in an artist’s second single. Quinn is set for big things, and this track is only the beginning.
