In his CLEAR 2 SOFT LIFE review, Kevin Bourne describes Summer Walker’s latest as “timeless” and “putting the Soul back in R&B”.
Summer Walker is back with her new project CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP, a follow up to her 2021 album Still Over It and her 2022 album Last Day Of Summer – Sped Up.
On the EP, Walker treats fans to laid back groove after laid back groove. Where many R&B artists today lack Soul in their music, Walker puts the Soul back in R&B on the project.
It opens with “To Summer, From Cole”, described as an ‘Audio Hug’ where J. Cole congratulates Walker on motherhood and encourages her to press on despite the hate she often received. Performed over a classic piano beat, it could also be described as a love letter, from friend to friend. In a time where many Black men in music still refer to women as bitches and hoes, and Black women are sexualized, it’s refreshing to hear a Black man cover his sister and have her back.
The laid back vibes continue with “Hard Life” and “How Does It Feel” where Walker flexes her Soul music muscle once again.
Among the standout tracks are “Mind Yo Mouth”, where Walker and the percussion sonically transport listeners to a small smoky lounge, “Pull Up”, where Walker channels Erykah Badu with her tone and delivery, the raw, poetic, and soulful “New Type” featuring Childish Gambino, and “Finding Peace” with its trip-hop drum pattern.
From the vocals to the instrumentation, which includes classic piano, guitar and drum sounds, Summer Walker continues to make timeless music and an album you can let ride from beginning to end.
CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP proves that less is more as her simple and often minimalistic approach stands out from the overly produced, commercial music we often hear today.
This album isn’t just for R&B heads. Fans of good music, from vocals to instrumentation, who don’t typically listen to R&B, and who are tired of the repetitive nature of mainstream music today, will find something to love and appreciate with what Walker has to offer.
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