Fall Into Me Slow

Ari Lennox “Night Drive”

The melody line in this song and the vocal performance captured on this track are both remarkable, but I find myself obsessing on something relatively minor about the recording: There is something magical about the particular crack of the snare, something I can barely describe. It’s a perfect thwack sound, both precise and blunt. It’s firm and physical, and not at all fussy. It’s in direct contrast with the overt loveliness of the twinkling keyboard part and Ari Lennox’s voice, which has the grace of a jazz singer and the nimbleness of an emcee. It’s the perfect grounding for the song on both a musical and lyrical level, situating a romantic sentiment within something more immediate and tangible.

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