Live Review: Chris McClenney revamps his own track, 'Pearl'
Take a futuristic spin on an unapologetically RnB dance groove with Chris McClenney's reinvention of his own track 'Pearl'
The 1990s RnB vibe has been translated for us all to enjoy in 2016. 23 year old Maryland producer CHRIS MCCLENNEY, with new music on the horizon, has taken to his own music archives for inspiration for his latest instalment of game changing RnB.
One of the tracks receiving the makeover by McClenney is his 2015 release 'Pearl'. It draws from all the prominent ancestors of RnB, funk, soul and disco to create what could be the perfect dance track.
The initial grab from the dreamy introduction to the song is a hard-hitting bass line that, mixed with McClenney's music mastery, comes across as nothing but a welcome reminder to your body to dance. Yet, with the new rework, the track is giving room to come alive again in a new way.
Plug into the latest music with our FREE weekly newsletter
McClenney's use of futuristic synth keys and sultry vocals offers you something new to hold onto while the smooth quake of bass and drums get to work filling your body with that infectious funk groove. The 23-year-old producer successfully lands this track on the moon in the later moments of the song. The use of heavily altered synth piano gives us an element we very seldom see in an RnB dance track, consistent with McClenney's ability to offer music we've never laid ears on before.
As part of a double release with another McClenney track, 'Tell Me', not only do these remixes bring life to two already bumpin' RnB tracks, but they outline McClenney's intentions as an artist. His preemptive efforts to stay present in such a fast paced music scene show that maybe his creativity and ingenuity as an artist stretch far beyond anything we've seen from him previously.
The future is bright for McClenney. His full length EP Portraits in Two was written, performed and produced by the beatsmith, and is to be released in the new year.
Reminiscent of simpler times when you could catch a young Will Smith in the Fresh Prince, McClenney has left us with two tracks repurposed to fit in with any club scene, but has maintained the homage to his RnB predecessors in remixes of 'Tell Me' and 'Pearl'. Enjoy!
Words by Steve Copp
SEE MORE
More From Our Network
