Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
2023 has been a banner year for new pop music, and among the talent that I’ve had the pleasure of listening to this summer, few stand out as much as R&B crooner Andon does. Andon’s new single “Love Language” is a fiery groove number that puts a lot of stock in a classic hook-oriented framework whilst embracing elements of club pop and even a hint of hip-hop’s biting lyrical delivery. It’s a terrific teaser for what he’s got planned for his forthcoming studio output, and though it’s a pretty simplistic pop song on paper, it’s by far one of the more engaging I’ve heard lately.
This single has a very old-school R&B vibe to it, and I’m not just referring to the stylization of the guitar parts. Andon brings a rebelliousness to the mix here, and in his searing vocal execution finds a way to connect with the audience like no other R&B musicians have this summer. There’s no showboating in this track, nor is there any overt virtuosities, but there’s a lot of swagger emanating from this young man’s sublime vocal skills, and explicitly how he utilizes them in this song.
Lyrically speaking, “Love Language” is a straightforward composition that doesn’t bore us with a lot of mundane enigmas that no one – usually the artists themselves included – has time for in the 21st century. Andon has a wonderful way with words, and though some of his closest competitors in the American underground would criticize his unfiltered demeanor, I for one think that it’s the best thing he has got going for him. This guy doesn’t want to play games with us in this song; contrarily, he’s going out of his way to be as level with listeners as he can, rendering some of the verses more conversational than they are poetic in tone.
The mix that was used in this single doesn’t have a defined style, but it doesn’t translate as experimental or scattered in any way, shape, or form. Andon has got a pretty eclectic sound to begin with, and when you factor in the multidimensional mastering and intrepid mixing by the producer, his music appeals to virtually anyone who enjoys a swinging beat married to a grinding bass harmony. It needs some more work, but in time I can see Andon’s trademark style influencing other soul artists of a like mind.
Pop fans would be wise to keep a close eye on Andon moving forward, because if he remains on the artistic trajectory that produced “Love Language,” then he’s going to have a very long and successful career ahead of him. With the voice he’s got and the formidable musicians that he’s surrounding himself with at the moment, I think it’s fairly safe to say that the future looks more than a little bright for his work at this stage of the game. His soon-to-be-released work is already trending upwards and it hasn’t even hit record stores yet, and in a business where buzz means everything, that’s something to be seriously proud of.
Keith Middlebrooks
