Posted by Ragz Originale, through his unguarded lyricism and futuristic production style, has carved out his own lane within the UK music landscape. And whilst the North London multihyphenate now seems to have landed at a very distinguishable sound, still, an alluring air of enigma floats above and around his music. Originale’s newly-released mixtape, ‘WOAH’ is a quarter hour of sultry harmonies, sweeping synths and punchy basslines, that gently tow him further down the sonic path he is cruising.
Short and sweet appears to be the mantra adopted by Ragz for his third solo project. The Mini Kingz co-founder demonstrates a penchant for the brief on ‘WOAH’, resulting in an easily digestible body of work, brimming with substance in spite of its lack of length. Perhaps this is attributable to Originale’s ability to load his tracks with memorable hooks and infectious rhythms that transport and spellbind into a feeling of boundlessness. Take ‘brush u’ for example. The E-Whizz co-produced highlight makes use of lush synths and a silky Afrobeat-inspired percussive groove, providing the him with a backdrop appropriately delicate for the reality-check he serves his link, reminding her frankly, “then I might brush you again.”
In helming the tape’s production, Ragz is able to synergise his soothing vocals with his inventory of spacey beats. From his first foray as a recording artist, with 2018 debut project ‘Nature,’ the Ivor Novello nominated singer has orchestrated a signature sound, flaunted in unique tracks like ‘OG Lullaby.’ The lulling interplay between the Rhodes melody and muted rim shots creates an airy template for Ragz, advising “you ain’t gotta sell your soul, just breathe,” in his typically silky tone.
The strength of Originale’s artistry stems from the ease in which he builds full sounding compositions, steeped in reverberating layers and nostalgic timbres. The icy, punctuated percussion in ‘ring out’ is reminiscent of a classic Timbaland or Kanye West drum pattern, paired with a breezy synth, Ragz entrances with his “let the phone ring out…” refrain.
With the guile of a seasoned pro, Ragz comes into his own on ‘WOAH’. The atmospheric production value of the project, alongside Orignale’s dulcet, measured delivery makes for a project markedly fleeting in track duration, but far from transient in feeling.
7/10
Words: Sona Ososami
– – –
– – –
Join us on the ad-free creative social network Vero, as we get under the skin of global cultural happenings. Follow Clash Magazine as we skip merrily between clubs, concerts, interviews and photo shoots. Get backstage sneak peeks, exclusive content and access to Clash Live events and a true view into our world as the fun and games unfold.