Fusing experimental hip-hop with grimy electronics, “REM90” is an excellent single from Newark, Delaware-based artist Francis Bleu. Eclectic in its tonal range, the track contrasts eerie vocal murmurs and a soulful, rap-infused delivery against murky bass swells, crafting a dreamlike, creative charmer thematically centered on personal growth and memory.

A dynamic production that shifts between haunting spaciousness and heavy rhythmic propulsions, “REM90” commences with riveting momentum. An eerie, wordless whimpering develops into grimy percussion and resonant electronics, varying between shimmering vibrancy and low-end haziness. A mellow delivery then infuses seamlessly, imparting a carpe-diem sense of wisdom: “You never know when you gonna go / So you might as well live it to the full.” The mesmerizing vocal arrangements and industrial art-pop sound remind fondly of Yves Tumor and King Krule.

The artist’s impressive emotional range is showcased particularly well around the track’s midpoint, where mellow introspection — “because it takes too long to find…” — gears into warbly audio samples and an ensuing blast of warm, low-frequency entrancement. The vocals here assume a soulful hip-hop feeling, with shades of Earl Sweatshirt. A hypnotizing blend of overlapping bars, pitter-pattering percussion, and dark synths then stir into a wholly satisfying finale. “REM90” is a stylish, enjoyably dark atmospheric showcase from Francis Bleu.

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We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

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