Gary Steel
The best artists – and albums – are usually exceptions to the rule. In Beatchild’s case, he’s that rare case of a smooth soul practitioner who doesn’t just fade into over-processed muck.
All the right influences are present and correct: the silky smooth seduction of the ‘70s, via Marvin Gaye and, to a lesser extent, Stevie Wonder. The rhythms take their tip from hip-hop, but it’s a deliciously intimate sound that’s comfortable pitting electronic beats against acoustic guitars and vocal harmonies.
So many albums that try for this kind of fusion fall into a dismal slop of between genre blandness, but Something Forever works. It’s a record that draws you into its sensual world and one that, I’m sure (no, I haven’t “auditioned it”) would be the perfect perfect background for a naughty night in.
Clearly, Beatchild a singer-producer who thinks beyond the limited horizons that make up so many musical communities, thus finds inspiration in many, varied and invigorating waters. GARY STEEL
Music = 4
Sound = 4
