R&B ARTIST SOLOMON RELEASES DEBUT EP ‘FOR STARTERS’
Singer-Songwriter Taps Timbaland, Grades, Al Shux & More For Production
Following the success of his recently released string of singles “dehydrate“, “sore loser“, and “phases” Ft. Kojey Radical, SOLOMON presents his highly anticipated debut 8-track EP FOR STARTERS, out now on all streaming platforms.
Finding fans in the likes of Jessie Reyez, India Arie, Erykah Badu, BROCKHAMPTON, and Timbaland, FOR STARTERS is an amalgamation of all SOLOMON’s hard work and presents his sound in ways we’ve never heard before. Best-known for his ballads and stripped back nature, SOLOMON evokes emotion and depth, all while exploring the avenues of his musicality. Taking the reins on production, and enlisting revered co-producers, such as GRAMMY-award winning multi-hyphenate Timbaland, creative duo Trackside, Al Shux (Kendrick Lamar, SZA), Owen Cutts (Stormzy, Kojey Radical) and Grades (H.E.R, Khalid, Dua Lipa), SOLOMON has brought together all these names to create this dynamic and considered project.
“do you want my love?” commences FOR STARTERS with a melancholic, acapella offering which allows SOLOMON’s voice to shine. A song about unrequited love, the question is parcelled as a guitar-led ballad with mellow, brooding instrumentation. While lo-fi ballads are a hit for the 25-year-old artist, his sound is even more elevated on livelier tracks such as recently released summer single “dehydrate” which adds a fresh and sun-soaked sound to the EP; similarly, viral breakthrough single and SOLOMON’s most streamed song (13M+ streams) “listen up”takes listeners on a journey through his mind, exploring the complexities of love and heartbreak.
Never one to shy away from honest topics, the heartfelt “burn out” and “fingerprints” are beautifully crafted odes laced with the artist’s signature guitar melody. Both discussing the vulnerability that comes with love – “burn out” details the feeling of exhausting oneself in the pursuit, whilst “fingerprints” looks at the lingering aftermath of a love lost – both visceral and relatable. A keen collaborator, SOLOMON enlisted UK rap luminary, Kojey Radical on debut single “phases”; the single was sampled by rapper Ice Spice in her ‘On The Radar’ freestyle and led to a play on Drake’s OVO Radio. This co-sign was followed by US former hip-hop collective, BROCKHAMPTON, who also sampled SOLOMON’s track “Robbery” for their song “Listerine,” which features on their final album.
SOLOMON’s 2023 ballad “sore loser” continues the journey, laying bare his inability to connect with a partner, the emotionally charged track is given a fresh sound as it’s remixed by mintsauce and US heavyweight producer, Timbaland. Infusing the melody with an instantly recognisable synthesised sound – “sore loser” becomes a standout on the EP. Closing out the project in classic SOLOMON fashion, the singer-songwriter pivots back to cinematic melodies on “loosely”, with a lucid and nostalgic feel. Like an outro to a feature film, the co-produced SOLOMON & mintsauce offering details the story of a young and complicated relationship, as his falsetto vocal muses ‘ooh she plays on my mind like a movie/ drains all my time and consumes me / that’s just me putting it loosely.’
On the EP, SOLOMON said: “I tend to use music as an escape, and to encourage others to let it [music] take you elsewhere. FOR STARTERS marks the start of an incredible journey; this compilation of songs really sums up all the madness that the past few years have consisted of – it’s packed full of undeniably raw and honest music for anyone listening to take their first steps into my world.”
FOR STARTERS is a stunning EP that showcases SOLOMON’s talent, versatility and the light and shade in his artistry. With a mix of lo-fi ballads, and bouncier offerings, this EP is proof of the West-Londoner’s incredible range as an artist and songwriter. A testament to his musical acumen, with this project, SOLOMON has cemented himself as one to watch in the UK scene as he builds his musical legacy one track at a time.
FOR STARTERS Tracklist:
1. do you want my love?
2. dehydrate
3. listen up
4. sore loser
5. phases ft. Kojey Radical
6. fingerprints
7. burn out
8. loosely
CONNECT WITH SOLOMON:
One thought on “R&B ARTIST SOLOMON RELEASES DEBUT EP ‘FOR STARTERS’”
Comments are closed.