When Solange unleashed her song and video simultaneously for Losing You earlier this year it was quite the proclamation. Its rhythm is composed of a loose, clappy mid-tempo daiquiri of a beat, matched with Solange‘s yearning vocals. But that’s not what made it stand out. As the younger sister of one of the biggest R&B divas at the moment (oh, and it’s Beyoncé, if you don’t know, now you know), it was a pleasantry to be gifted with a track that’s more hip than pop, a la Janelle Monae or Azealia Banks. The statement that Solange is making, is that she is not only capable of crafting a good song, but appealing to the niche ears of us hip music bloggers, instead of attempting to break into her older sister’s overcrowded genre of super-produced, big bass R&B/dance (ahem, Dr. Luke).
Does all the credit go to Solange? Not necessarily; she made the perfect choice of teaming with British producer Dev Hynes. If you didn’t catch it, he released this song last year under the Blood Orange moniker. His style is influenced by the best parts of 1990s electronic and R&B.
So it’s fitting that Switzerland-born producer Cyril Hahn, who also takes heavy influence from 1990s electronic music, chose to remix Solange‘s track. In the original, Solange conveys letting go in her beautiful bright voice as if there is a chance she’d eventually get back together with her lost lover. With a simple pitch shift of her vocals, Hahn imbues equal parts conviction and moroseness into Solange‘s hopeful apprehension. Also, the synth pads that line the house rhythm are a tad ominous. Though the remix isn’t 100% dark. With the sequentially syncopated marimbas covering the high ranges, it’s hard not to feel moved by the song in a positive way.
With every lover we lose, we lose a part of ourselves. Take a moment, listen to this and get some of yourself back.