As of late it seems that artists releasing the first taste of their music are doing it ever so mysteriously. The first artist to really have captured my attention in this fashion was f y f e, who’s first track “Solace” was nothing short of incredible. Ever since (and I’m sure there were artists before him to do the same, so relax) SoundCloud pages for new artists have most commonly featured one track available only for streaming, vague location information, and little biographical remnants, if any.
Enter into the picture Séyi (pronounced “seh-yee”), an act from Birmingham, England, who is equal parts mysterious and amazing. There is little known about the artist (I’m not even sure if it’s a solo act or small group), but I could really care less as long as their next release is equally as incredible as “Icecold.” The song begins with cavernous drum kicks and high frequency distortion before we hear a melancholic male voice sweep in over subtle rhythm guitar. As he delivers his first verse, a low-fi “gregorian chant” type chorus fills out the bottom line excellently making for an incredibly captivating intro.
But wait, MAGIC at 1:54. Just when the blended male/female vocals have put you in a daze, Séyi hits you with a drop that takes the track to an entirely new level. What was once a slow meandering song has become a driving electronic jam similar to the sounds of SBTRKT, Lapalux, or XXYYXX.
Based solely on the strength of this track, I’d say that Séyi is going to be an act to watch in the remainder of 2013. Let’s hope the veil is removed and a second track is released. Until then, everything is ice cold.