A few seconds of SirBastien’s song is all it takes to get lulled into his universe. The producer/singer/songwriter uses soft percussions, rattling samples and a hypnotic dose of reverb to paint colourful scenes in his lo-fi universe that promises escape from everyday anxiety. For his debut project, ‘Mango’, he assembles a team of artists who have plumbed similar depths with their music as he features Jaya, Ilaye, DAP the Contract, AYLØ, Bio, Eri Ife, Lectrick, Keenah and Jinmi Abduls who bring their uniquely laidback variations of the slow-moving folk sound to his 9-track tape.

‘Mango’ opens with an atmospheric slow-burner, “Care”, which finds SirBastien comparing his lover’s beauty to the serene view of nature, singing “Your eyes glimmer like the star/ The light casts shadows on your scars” over the lightweight mix of percussion, synths, guitar harmonies, rattling samples and drum riffs. The next track, “From Me”, introduces featured artists, Jaya and Keenah, effortlessly fusing the rap verse from Jaya with Keenah’s soft cooing to fit the comforting sound of the twinkling guitars and laidback drums he produces with Saucy for the song dealing with the uncertainty in relationships. “Take You There” however returns the project to its pleasant mood with the slightly more upbeat tempo and romantic direction from SirBastien, Lectrick, and Eri Ife’s lyrics.

DAP the Contract and Bio join SirBastien on “Coffee Machine” where their chemistry is heightened by the slow-building acoustic melodies that evoke a sense of nostalgia and melancholy, despite the romantic lyrics addressed at their love interests. Jinmi Abdul also contributes a verse on “X Marks the Spot”, where SirBastien dives deeper into folk melodies to depict his melancholy in a soothing glow singing, “Sinking into the ocean, this emptiness in my chest/ You said you’d be the treasure, I can’t find the X” over a lightweight highlife instrumental he produces with Damiore. AYLØ assisted “Scars” builds the acoustic sound to a progressively more electronic sound, infusing clap samples and synths to embellish AYLØ’s mellow auto-tuned vocals as he joins SirBastien to sing praises of their lovers.

Ilaye’s soft vocals on “As We Dance” give ‘Mango’ a much needed psychedelic ambience as she layers intricate melodies to match the weightless instrumental and lyrics; “As we dance, I fall deeper”. It’s hypnotizing, escapist, and tranquil, but coils and curls into something darker as if speaking to the anxiety that comes with falling. The next track, “Wait” doesn’t try to dispute that fear as we hear SirBastien screaming out to a lover but his vocals echo like he’s singing into a void; “I’ve been calling/I’ve been so alone”. ‘Mangos’ closes with “Jaguar”, where he sings an entrancing chant over a dizzying mix of synths, percussion, and guitar riffs. Though the atmospheric universe ‘Mango’ evokes doesn’t shy away from the darker reality, it retains a comforting mood with the lightweight sounds oozing bliss.

Stream SirBastien’s ‘Mango’ below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/sirbastienmusic
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]

You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Check out DAP the Contract’s visual album, ‘Everybody Falls in the summer’