Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
The first thing that jumps out of the speakers and grabs us with both fists in the new single “Run My Check” by Briannagh D is the beat, and this isn’t exclusively because of the boost the percussion is given in the master mix. On the contrary, because of the fluidity of the arrangement here, the groove feels like the centerpiece from the start of the track forward thanks to the collective swing of the instrumentation, which, although starting with the drums, certainly ends with Briannagh D’s vocal delivery. Jadakiss is along for the ride here as well, but in terms of who owns the lion’s share of the spotlight, there’s no getting around the presence this femme fatale has with the mic in her hands.
Briannagh D’s singing has an angularity that initially seems a little forced in the first half of “Run My Check,” but I get the impression by the second that she’s intentionally presenting herself in this manner to facilitate more catharsis in the chorus. There’s something sexy about her robotic treatment of the beat in a couple of key moments here, and where a lot of other artists would have been afraid to try something so experimental, she shows absolutely no fear in this cut.
Because of the way this single was mixed, the instrumentation feels remarkably level, but not to such an extent where the harmonies are controlled more by the backdrop than the singer herself. Jadakiss gives a relatively conservative performance next to Briannagh D here, but he doesn’t need to do much more – this hook is already an established element that requires little straddling from either vocalist, and the pressure from the bassline fills in the void where an oversized percussive thrust would have been (in something less than erudite, of course).
Tonal expression is something that Briannagh D wants to incorporate into this release, and she does a good job of preserving her vocal in the chorus as to give us as much of her natural charm as possible. There’s a time and a place for plastics and synthesized harmonies, but this just isn’t a single that needs such props to sound like a winner. Between the collaborating voices in the booth and the actual structuring of the arrangement, “Run My Check” was built to satisfy even the pickier of pop fans among us today.
“Run My Check” is supported by an amazing music video debatably as strong as its source material is, but more than anything else I think it’s got one of the most inviting grooves of any independently released pop single I’ve listened to since the start of the year. 2022 has been a lot better on the underground than 2020 or 2021 were, and with the momentum that’s building behind her career thanks to output like this, I can see Briannagh D really starting to come into her own with audiences as the year progresses. She’s got a smart new single in “Run My Check,” and critics beyond myself are bound to notice.
Victor Mason
