Stephan Folkes is a man who has never been one for doing what is expected, and his all-new stand-alone single, “It’s None of Your Business (Bonus Track – Hazard era),” sees him delving into brave new waters. Folkes, who had previously made a name for himself with his expressive singing and finely tuned production sensibilities, catches his audience off guard by folding all of these styles into one cohesive statement. The result is a hybrid track that’s at once intimate and audacious, serving as evidence of an artist unafraid to experiment.
The track finds Folkes adopting a rhythmic and spoken delivery that’s beautifully placed over the track. It’s a promising effort. He does not identify as a rapper, but here he is doing the job with perfect confidence, his rhythm natural, his phrasing unfussy. It feels conversationally frank in performance as well, as if Folkes is inviting listeners into a private space, then reminding them they’re not owed an explanation.
It’s this tension that drives the track. Folkes evokes the stress of living under the weight of relentless attention. The lyrics are universal for anyone who’s ever felt the need to defend a decision, and the delivery underpins the song’s message of silent defiance. Less confrontation and more reclaiming agency, tied, naturally, to rhythm and melody that linger long after the last note.
Recorded with the post-punk precision you’d expect from an independent artist and sound engineer of Folkes’s caliber, “It’s None of Your Business” excels at not excelling at any genre in particular. The beat’s multifaceted textures buoy a vocal performance that toggles between confessional and commanding, and the track has enough space for introspective moments to breathe beneath its rhythm.
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