"New" Music Monday: May 2, 2011

First of all, before we get into "New" Music Monday, let me just congratulate moi in the 6 month anniversary of my blog "The Music Tourist" (pops imaginary champagne bottle). It's been a good 6 months. I have acquired a bachelor's degree (woot!) and further progressed my aspirations. For the next 6 months, I definitely plan on posting more often and letting the blogosphere more into my world as a songwriter. I will be posting everyday this week based on the daily themes I made up. There are definitely going to be bigger moves made for me. So watch out because before you know it, I can be writing for your favorite artist. With all that being said, let's get into this Monday with an up-and-coming r&b singer and songwriter based out of Chicago and Detroit: Drey Skonie.

I had first heard of him through Kwiet Storm, a Chicago-based r&b/pop group, on Twitter a while back. Looking them up, I was impressed by their material and I thought they could definitely resurrect the power of the r&b male group phenomenon, that has been absent in the mainstream music industry for quite a while. They had generated quite a bit of buzz online as well as many different venues across the nation. However, former member Drey Skonie's sights were set on going solo. His mixtape is the first of many moves he is making in the industry. I decided to give a first-impression review his mixtape "On Earth Volume 1" as a request by a couple of people who were fans and colleagues of the Chi-Troit sensation. 

On Earth Volume 1 - Drey Skonie

On Earth Vol. 1 contains a good mix of covers as well as some of Drey's original music. He performs a solid cover of Justin Timberlake's "Señorita," which incorporates original lyrics with some of Timberlake's own words. Drey also uses his own lyrics in a cover to Ciara's 2006 hit "Promise" re-titled "Future Girl." It was an interesting variation of the song, nicely accompanied by smooth vocals. I also enjoyed his rendition of "Say Yes" by Floetry, which is one of my favorite r&b slow jams. The first verse was taken an octave lower, but the second verse was taken higher which showed an impressive range in the up-and-coming artist. Also Drey shows more versatility in a cover of One Republic's song "Say (All I Need)."

Drey Skonie's mixtape has its fair share of original music from the artist. "I'm On Her" is definitely a stand out track on the mixtape. It's a sexy party anthem that can easily resonate in the club scene. You can definitely hear the Midwest hip-hop flavor in the production of the song. "Fell On the Phone" is a r&b ballad led by a sweeping piano melody. It serves as a pleasant interlude to more of the faster-paced mixtape thus far. "Jam Session" is a slow bedroom anthem that lyrically infuses music-sex metaphors. The track also shows off highly impressive falsetto vocals towards the end of the tune. "Skonie High" uses Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek," which was an unexpected sample. There are also definitely some hot bass-heavy beats incorporated in other songs on the mixtape such as "I Ain't Even Know" and "Get U To Say." Many of the songs also show off the talents of Detroit production team "No Speakerz." Along with Drey Skonie, they are definitely making moves in the industry, all serving as independent artists that may very well be the next big movers and shakers in the r&b/hip-hop world.

Overall, Drey Skonie's vocals are definitely impressive and should fair nicely in a mix of the contemporary r&b male singers of today. Much of the lyrical content attributes to common pop/r&b themes like love and partying. But he also speaks of his passions for music and aspirations to make it to the top. Like he said in "I'm Flyyy," he's going to make it to the top even if he's got to fly. I believe with the right moves he can definitely touch the skyyy. And I wish much success to him.

If you would like more information on the artist, he is represented through ISConexion at www.isconexion.com.

You can download his mixtape at this link: Drey Skonie "On Earth Vol. 1"


~L~