JusRell: “Seven Seas” – subtly intertwines the melody and beat with extreme finesse

Memphis artist JusRell has just released the R&B/Soul single entitled “Seven Seas” produced by ChetaMeister. The song is a simple and delightfully restrained mid-tempo chill ballad. Devoid of the treacly sentimentality, cloying vocals and tired platitudes we’ve come to expect of such numbers, the track excels by being plain and direct. Uncluttered by the theatre and noise of overwrought lyrics, extravagant singing and dramatic beats, the song is an understated showcase of minimalistic R&B – a perfect illustration of JusRell’s appeal as an artist.

None of this understated brilliance is of course guaranteed to bring JusRell’s visibility to the level of R&B guys like, say, like The Weeknd, Maxwell or D’Angelo. But massive popularity, however, does not even seem to be JusRell’s goal.

If it was, he would be crooning…or screaming another type of song. Whether by intent or casual circumstance, every moment and every lyrical picture painted feels distant and unattainable to the listener. If that feeling is indeed premeditated, it is even more impressive.

The one thing that separates JusRell’s from any other crooner out right now is how easy he makes it all seem. He doesn’t use an incredible range or vocal acrobatics like of some of his contemporaries, but he’s a smooth menace: the song hovers around the same pleasant octave range, and in that range he’s in his zone killing it.

That zone is a space that he can occupy successfully, subtly intertwining the melody and the beat with extreme finesse. Every note is comfortably at home with the next and it exudes a certain confidence that only comes with innate confidence.

JusRell comes across as sensitive in the manipulation of his musical material. The finest moments on “Seven Seas” are the moments when the artist’s personality shines the brightest and the song gets conversational. JusRell has a great knack for providing context without straying from the central plot. The greatest example is how he lyrically weaves, commands and compliments in-between his personal perspective on love.

ChetaMeister’s production is filled with spaced-out pianos and synths that frame JusRell vocals perfectly. The production coincides with the vibe of the lyrical content, providing the appropriate atmosphere on the record. Altogether, it creates a complete sonic package to put you in smooth feel-good groove.

Whether or not this newfound talent can become a household name remains to be seen, but operating under the vast umbrella of the R&B/Soul genre with a unique style of your own, is a damn good place to start. Releasing a stellar single on top of that is icing on the cake.

OFFICIAL LINKS: SOUNDCLOUD – TWITTER

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