Begin with the end: recommended fun soul/R&B EP with hints of 2000s bangers but its own creative and modern flair. It's short and more than worth the time. If you listen to one song make it Recognize, if two add in Red Wine Holiday, but the whole thing is worth it.
Introduction
I don't know why everything is Frank Ocean now but it is. I cannot, however, complain because I loved listening to this ablum.
Catch n' Release came up on my new releases page. I am not sure what if any Fana Hues I have in my liked songs, but whatever convinced the algorithm to send me this album, I am grateful.
This is a fun soul EP. It is extremely easy to listen to, the lyrics are clever without being full of themselves, the music is a bop.
Come for the fish, stay for Fana's voice, clever lyrics, and joyful production.
Song by song
Drip
A sexy opener that recalls 2000's-2010's progressive R&B. The propulsive kick-snare kick-snare 1-2 1-2 beat provides a backbone that would take over were the rest of the song not able to keep pace. It is, however and with multiple standalone hooks the track is memorable and varied, managing to keep the two-step background interesting, no easy feat.
Recognize
The standout track of the album. Absolutely infectious. This will be in my rotation for years to come. Overflowing with joy, happiness that beautifully captures the overwhelming, overcoming, and warming feelings welling up in the earliest days of a relationship. The song pieces the skin with the essence of youth, nostalgia, and potential. The song delivers on its potential. Musically we are dealing with a memorable piano line that makes clever use of space and resonance, both holding notes and leaving empty rest space between them in a way we are not used to in pop backings. The backing piano also evolves, there is a progressiveness to it that is unexpected, especially after the driving repetitive beat of Drip. There is immediate range while still being in the same consonant language. It also reminds us that the Piano is classed as a percussion instrument, using the instrument to create structure for the vocals to shine over. Instant classic.
Sweet n' Sour
The most country album on the track. But subtly, with red threads, the EP has now demonstrated incredible range. We've been toured through classic hip-hop inspired MTV R&B, piano-driven melodic pop, and now country. Later Beyoncé in a way that in three songs we have gone from 2000 to 2023 without being thrown around in some kind of jarring experimental way. The smoothness and common language are now the tour de force. The down-to-earth tones without being hokey make this an impressive, not to mention enjoyable follow-up to the album's highlight.
From Him
It is time to slow it down. Focus on the vocals. A song about respecting yourself in relationships, about perspective. We both in the album and the theme are reminded to step out and review where we are. The vocal control here is worth calling out, not to mention the rolling symphonic cymbals. The world seems to have forgotten the cymbal and this song gives it love recalling 70's ballads, which also reminds us we forgot the 70's.
Red Wine Holiday
This gives Recognize a run for its money as the headline track. Firstly a triplet-driven beat brings us yet more rhythmic creativity if not quite time-signature creativity…but close enough to count on a pop record for me. Where Drip pushed us forward, feeling like each beat came slightly early, Red Wine Holiday lags telling us with the beat to relax the same way the song's theme does. A breakdown that feels like something from the 90's in a song otherwise is more like a Pharell Williams production, this track is the most European on an album that is otherwise distinctly American.
Stowaway
I can imagine after the first five tracks on this album, Fana could have done about whatever she wanted with the album's final track. Bluegrass and rock, hints of appalachia with the washtub drum and washboard scratch. We are back into Americana after the brief Red Wine Holiday and also far from the hip-hop of Drip. A little bit of Rock but still a spacious beat heavy on lightweight highhats and sparing synthetic accompaniments leaving room for a narrative and lullaby of a vocal track.
Some influences
- Beyoncé
- Frank Ocean
- Outkast
- Farell Williams