Femi Jaye - Motive

By Christianah Jesudass-Roberts @mstiaroberts

If you have been keeping up with my reviews, you will recognise my passion for smooth R’nB that comes out of the UK. I personally believe it deserves a lot more recognition then it gets, and if we could go back in time - by around 15-20 years - we would be in the prime of the UK soul and RnB era in which created and built a culture that we all pay homage to now. Anyway to cut a long story short, I feel the quality of RnB coming out of the UK is elite and we coming full circle to that being celebrated like it once was.

Alongside plenty of discussions happening on Clubhouse about the UK’s receptiveness to smooth somewhat soulful music that originates here, I came across a smooth, multi-influenced song this week, that reminded me of the great, melodic talent that is born in the UK. Femi Jay just released his new song Motive and it essential melts all my positive thoughts on this genre into one.

This tune is created for easy listening, it is light and bouncy, with Afro-fusion influences to create this rhythmic, echoey but light sound. This delicate track is perfectly balanced, with all these different facets working in collaboration to create a multilayered song, which gently lures you into its essence. The introduction in particular, is appeasingly light, something you would expect of modern RnB, yet teamed up with Femi Jaye’s catchy lyrics, the bubbly beat layered with his constantly dreamily paced vocals, the tune is consistently transforming and looping, effectively creating a truly unique song, one that sits effortlessly on repeat without becoming intrusive.

“Lockdown has influenced and propelled a form of inspired creativity and this track is another example of these feelings being translated through music as a more celebratory medium.”

This tune perfectly communicates the simplicity of our times. In theme, it is essentially a call to socialise, born as a product of our current circumstances. For many of us growing up, we are all too familiar with the terms “What’s the motive?” It is a phrase that showcases our eagerness to socialise in the form that is most easily received. Light, but welcoming, the phrase points to a familiarity and enthusiasm towards the social activities that we all miss too well at the moment. So of course, here we have another tune that is inherently modern, speaking for a collective feeling, that roots us in the present, yet draws back on the nostalgia of growing up, where unlimited time to really enjoy a moment resided. The tune displays the feel of its lyricism, in its beat, in the pace, in the sound - all radiating a somewhat joyous, inquisition.

The Barking - East London, bred singer has vividly showcased his creative progression through the years and is currently ascending in his musical journey as he embarks on a new, upcoming project of work. Lockdown has influenced and propelled a form of inspired creativity and this track is another example of these feelings being translated through music as a more celebratory medium. I do love a tune that I can relate to, and right now I feel like we can all sing this catchy number in unison. Motive by Femi Jaye is available to stream on all major platforms.