Jahdon ft Truvice – Here We Go – Review

Jahdon featuring Truvice: Here We Go Single Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com.

After the success of his inspired and thoroughly pleasing album 369, Jahdon is back with a fresh single and a fresh sound. Because the merging of various styles has created something infinitely likeable and memorable.

Here We Go, released via Look Ya Noww Entertainment and distributed by Zojak Worldwide, sees Jahdon team up with Truvice – a lovely pairing if ever there was one. The track is written by the man himself, with sympathetic and glossy production coming from Audiotraxx Productions. Overall, Here We Go is a classy and detailed affair.

It’s difficult to musically box the track in, as it contains elements and devices from various genres. In some respects, Here We Go represents a well-crafted merging of Roots and Soul. On the former, guitars perform a half time, lazy skank across the track, giving it a compelling sway. The additional percussion plays into this, with snaps doing a full-time skank as well. At points, an electric organ joins in with this – but at others it runs more soulful chords with the vibrato turned up. Then, across the bridge an additional, softer and dampened electric piano runs a gorgeous countermelody – delicately caressing the track – which also plays out at other points on the verses, just out of earshot. This hints at the influence of the other genre present.

Here We Go’s Soul influences are also apparent. The bass, rich and rounded, runs varied melodies. On the verse it uses the melody from the chorus as a rhythmic motif, but using varying notation. Then, on the chorus itself this is embellished to create more momentum, before at the end of each phrase it comes back to almost mimicking the melody. On the bridge, it then extends across dotted then straight semibreves and crotchets at points, emphasising the smoother sound. It’s an inherently clever arrangement, giving the track real fluidity and movement.

Drums are again more Soul in their arrangement. Hi-hats run dotted rhythms; a snare strikes the off beats while the kick hits double time on the four, leading into a strike on the one of the next bar. But suddenly, on the final chorus the kick hits quavers, creating a rousing finale to Here We Go. Additional strings put in fleeting appearances across breves and dotted semibreves, adding to the lushness. And the backing vocals are also pure Soul, running straight harmonisation along with responses and vowel-led sounds.

But the saxophone is perhaps the centre piece of the instrumentation. It is absolutely gorgeous, offering firstly a countermelody working across a harmony, then a melodic motif and then responses to Jahdon and Truvice’s calls. On the instrumental chorus it is particularly impressive, improvising a melody based around the main one. It is full of light and shade, clever use of tonguing juxtaposed against longer notes and is really quite wonderful.

But moreover, Here We Go is an incredibly smart and infectious composition from Jahdon and Audiotraxx. The chorus is almost pitch-perfect, with its completely memorable hook that sticks in your brain and refuses to leave. This paves the way perfectly for the two artists’ performances.

Truvice has got a wonderfully gravelly, soulful voice which is perfectly suited to the track. He brings depth and urgency to the chorus, clipping the dotted notation perfectly while employing enough dynamic light and shade. His improvisations are very well-constructed, enhancing the memorable melody. Then Jahdon makes the verses and bridge his own. Here, he has cleverly contrasted his dynamics and phrasing across the track, beginning slightly softer and more pensive before building in more urgency as Here We Go progresses. There are lovely growls and a good use of vibrato; smart increases in intonation as the track builds to its finale (note the increase in pitch across verse two versus verse one) and some wonderful improvisation at the top of his register, which works well against Truvice’s. But Jahdon is particularly impressive across the bridge, where his dynamics take flight as does his pitch – creating a strong crescendo that leads into the instrumental bridge. Lyrically, it’s an interesting piece as well – discussing the end of a relationship. The content paradoxically shouldn’t really marry with the music that’s in a major key. But because of both artist’s performances, it works perfectly – and the frantic, frustrated final section is the icing on this cake.

Here We Go is a real surprise and treat from Jahdon and all involved. Musically sumptuous and smart, it’s a testament to him and Audiotraxx just how catchy the melody is. The music acts as the perfect base for the artists to bounce off, and the clever juxtaposition of the lyrics versus the composition is well thought through. Lovely stuff – and bodes well for Jahdon’s forthcoming work.

Jahdon ft Truvice Here We Go review by Mr Topple (12th November 2020).