“Dramatic” by Amen Sioux is a beautifully percussive collection of textures, melodies, and atmospheric production tricks that’ll just make your mouth water. As the idiosyncratic, organic vocals carve out a satisfying arc, the instrumentation stays funky, dynamic, and overall, unendingly interesting. If this isn’t your new favorite neo-soul song afterward, listen again, because Amen Sioux brings something genuinely musical and fresh to the table.
The song begins with a subtle Bossa Nova drum beat and a wash of twinkling synths. “I greet the world with openness / I fall down into nothingness / My ambitions could slip from my grasp / I am so tired and I need to take a nap,” these nonchalant lyrics pour from the singer’s raspy, welcoming voice. Four hits and an unexpected chord change send us into a new groove, which underpins another verse. Bass riffs casually underneath the now swung, synth-drenched atmosphere. Before you know it, a pre-chorus flies by and we’re bathing in the lovely, repetitive catchiness of the chorus. “It’s dramatic” the singer croons again and again, but it truly never gets old. Those four, familiar hits cap it off with a gratifying cadence.
Fast forward a bit, and we’re gifted with a copiously affected guitar solo. Distortion and reverb coat each pick, slide, and bend of this incredibly melodious moment. After a distinctive cluster of measures, we melt into a broken-down bridge, and then a momentous ending.
If you’re in the mood for something infectious, give “Dramatic” a try. You’ll be glad you got to know the impressive stylings of Amen Sioux.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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