New York artist C4. Benard has come through with a new release entitled "Drift Away", which showcases his introspective lyrical style and emotive melodic flow. The rapper frequently tackles social issues in his music, as is the case with this latest single, which discusses the negative societal effects of communities becoming divided and drifting apart. Underscored by an intense, raw instrumental, his performance on this release is powerful and memorable.
The production on "Drift Away" is immersive and dense, centred around swirling, textured samples that drift over top of heavy percussion. Paired with rugged bass, the beat contains a groove that is simply infectious, giving the track much replay value. C4. Benard's vocals are also strong, taking influence from traditional East Coast hip-hop and reggae to create a uniquely refreshing blend. His vocal delivery is captivating as it is soaked with emotion, remaining uncompromisingly personal and truthful throughout. Thematically, he discusses potent topics like isolation and the factors that push people apart in their communities. Accompanied by a claustrophobic, intense music video that captures the rawness of his vocal performance and the iciness of the production, this is a release worthy of many re-visits.
Relatively new to the music scene yet rapidly gaining momentum, C4. Benard is an artist whose creativity and honesty make him easy to cheer for. With a keen ear for production and a genre-blending style that combines influences from reggae and hip-hop, it will certainly be exciting to watch his career continue to progress. "Drift Away" is likely one of his strongest singles yet, with its evocative, heartfelt style capturing us from the get-go.
