” a classic hip hop and jazz soundscape ” Lamine – Pass It Along (prod. B. Young)

The track has a great vibe about it. The energy is mellow, the music has a vintage, almost tinny sound to it – a classic hip hop and jazz soundscape that is easy going and reminiscent of simpler times. The leading vocal running alongside of the music is equally laid back and calming to listen to, the rhythm remains mellow and enjoyable throughout. The added blessing of this track is the hook section, often with this type of hip hop there’s a tendency for artists to go from start to finish simply on the flow of the music and the consistency of the vocal free-flow. While this method works, it’s been done a lot – so in this case, it’s really enjoyable to hear the calmness of freestyle hip hop vibes combined with a notable and memorable hook section.

The hook is also the moment at which the added vocals come into play, so you get a choir like sound – though it’s more of a vocal chant than a melody – and this adds an important element of togetherness, which in turn offers the opportunity for the listener to feel involved and welcomed into the mix. There is an element of melody later on in the track, a female vocal comes into play, and this too adds something simple yet effective, and refreshing to witness.

The song is minimalistic in essence but this works well for the vibe, plus there’s a lot to appreciate structurally – the song is kept simple, as mentioned, but there is consistent change, so it never gets tiresome; it’s kept interesting at all times, there’s a development, without adding too much so that it becomes noisy. The leading vocal has a great sound to it, the tone is pleasant and the performance is calm and enjoyable.

By Rebecca Cullen

Rebecca is a Musician and writer from Manchester, UK, with an MA in Song Writing