Issey Cross - Who

By Christianah Jesudass-Roberts @mstiaroberts

“The emotional soliloquy that is expressed in this track speaks to a relatable boiling point of anger, on the edge of release, somewhat, musically expressing the calm before an inevitable storm.”

I love a bit of alternative, indie R’n’B, however, every now and then I come across singular tracks within this sub genre that strike curiosity in me. One of the most attractive aspects of alternative RnB is the various ways in which artists push the boundaries of what listeners expect, to add their unique sound, characterised by somewhat uncommon interpretations within the tune. A song I came across this week, stimulated this exact curiosity, it pushes the boundaries with a sombre beat infused with fiery emotion with a soothing feel, there is a ferocity to something that is upbeat yet soothing, very much like the simultaneous rapid energy and calmness that we witness when looking at a naked flame.

Issey Cross released her new tune Who earlier this month. It is enjoyable in its uncompromising simplicity that is constructed with so many different layers of varying sounds and influences that it remains in a subtle spectrum of complexity synchronously. This feel is teamed up with her heated lyricism, that accompanies the naked flame metonymy, in which this tune resides, showcasing calm chaos metaphorically. The emotional soliloquy that is expressed in this track speaks to a relatable boiling point of anger, on the edge of release, somewhat, musically expressing the calm before an inevitable storm.

Issey Cross in a new UK artist on the rise, she is eccentric in style with a mellowing sound, each aspect of her individualism complimentary to her overall appeal. Her influences such as Lorde and Adele sit well alongside her adoration for UK RnB which is undeniably obvious as this latest track sits in Spotify’s New Pop UK playlist. She merges her unique sound and style to create a world of diverse collaborative elements that is so incredibly discernible in this track.

The tune itself welcomes the listener through a multitude of cascading drum beats, with her vocal entry to the track drawing us more deeply into her emotion of sound. Her sultry, opening question, being a direct introduction into her reef of perturbation, her fierceness is unapologetic. It has a particularly interesting feel, almost as if you are descending deeper into her subconscious feelings of frustration as they gather energy across the moment, in a sort of rolling snowball effect, however, simultaneously, listeners can feel the energy of an impending outburst only a drum beat away. Essentially the tune feels like a burning point; hot, yet icy cold, existing in extremes in an unusual but appeasing way - showcasing desperate pain and anger to extremes that do not feel all that foreign.

As we sit in Lockdown 3.0, alongside a running mental commentary of our days as we continue on this journey of becoming over-familiar with our thoughts, tunes that we can relate to along this spectrum of emotion are very much necessary. While I love a morning “get up and go” tune, more mellow sounds of relatable anger and frustration are also surprisingly comforting at this time - sort of like the workout pains that we miss so much, harsh but simultaneously satisfying. I guess it’s all about balance, and this tune plays its part in the grand picture of things. Who by Issey Cross is available to stream on all major platforms.