[Click here for soundtrack]
The first time we heard Rhye was when they released their stunning single "Open." Every person who heard this track thought of Sade. You're a liar if you didn't. "Who is this girl with this deep velvety voice?" everyone asked. Except we would come to find out (and some of us are about to find out right now) that this wasn't a woman singing at all, but rather Canadian singer Mike Milosh. Rhye's producer is Danish-born Robin Hannibal and together they created a remarkable album of sensual grooves and love songs
Woman begins with the aforementioned "Open" and if it wasn't clear that this is an album you make love to, just watch the video for "Open." But it's the album's 2nd song, "The Fall" that lingers with you long after it's stopped playing. As Hannibal's piano hovers alongside a jazz drum beat and string arrangement while Milosh sings:
The song is gone
It fell into the fall
But I don't want it this way
Why can't you stay?The recurring theme of the album is set forth; that of maintaining the strength of your relationship when your life is constantly on the move. Not just any relationship, but the one... yearning for a love (and lust) so deeply rooted that it inspires the authenticity of the passionate expression we're graced with. Most of these songs were written by Milosh to his now-wife and there is no lack of passion on this record like on the album's crown jewel, "3 Days":
Oh, I'm famished
So I'll eat your minerals
Like a rabid beast at a foolish feast
I'll steal your breathWhen I think of the lyrics on this album the first line that comes to mind is "so I'll eat your minerals." It perfectly describes the nature of the sexual human beast. It's running your hands down your lover's naked body like an animal. We all have these carnal passions in us and Milosh lays it down here like no other. Think of the rhythm of the action described within the rhythm of the beat. The first effect we hear sounds like a sputtering trumpet punctuating for 5 beats and the 6th beat in the measure is the piano. This is some jazzy stuff
I could sit here and break down more of the music and lyrics, but this album NEEDS to be experienced. You have to hear the horn samples. You HAVE to be left in amazement of his nearly impossible voice. You HAVE to think about how much the opening to "Shed Some Blood" is reminiscent of Air's "Universal Traveller." You HAVE to yearn for Sade's classic LP Promise, cause nothing has come this close to her sound before. Woman is in the same breath as great sensual albums of our time like D'Angelo's Voodoo and Frank Ocean's Channel Orange. Do what you will with this information and thank me later. One love
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To listen to any of the albums on our countdown, check out our spotify playlist here
Peep the archives of all of the albums reviewed up to this point
#10 is due up tomorrow!
