What happens when you blend soul, R&B and jazz into one track? Magic. St Panther’s new single “Strange World” featuring Rae Khalil is a funky, soulful, work of art. The track opens with subdivided toms that cascade into a shuffling percussion rhythm. A deliciously groovy bass line enters, reminiscent of Stevie Wonder’s, Songs in the Key of Life. Stacked harmonies are introduced with beautiful balance, and invite the listener to immediately sing along with the “Ohh’s.”
“Strange world / We’re living in such a strange world / And we’ll never be the / We’ll never be the same / We’ll never be the same / But I’m still rooting for us / But I’m still rooting for us.”
The instrumentals take a step back, setting the stage for the catchy melodic line with an octave vocal harmony. St Panther opens the first verse with social commentary with lyrics like, “I think it’s worth it / Damn near picture perfect / All they wanna know is your net worth / Is your face card really working?” The timbre of St Panther’s voice in their lower register plays well with the texture of the track.
Khalil enters with smooth and clear vocals, showing off with effortless vocal runs. Soaring vocal lines carry the track forward, fading back into the Oohs that open the song.
“I been waiting for this kind of love all my life (all my life!) / We went for it all the way, although it was rough / You brought me back from something I wouldn’t say / How could I ever go on without some kind of repayment (think you should pay me!)”
When discussing Strange World, St. Panther was quoted saying, "Since the last time I put out a project, our world has only gotten stranger, which has only made my work more intentional. In this gap, I set out to write music about our world in the state it’s in now and imagine a future beyond it with some of my favorite people to talk about the world with. In ‘Strange World’ you can hear us all in the studio together, laughing in between takes so often it bled into the actual recording, which we decided to keep because the spirit of that felt important. I truly believe that hope and joy can alter the state of anything, especially when the world feels most divided/needs healing. It’s all in the lyrics, I’m still rooting for us."
Love this track? Then get ready for St Panther’s new EP, Strange World, set to be released November 7th, 2025.
