T O Soul's recent single, "I'll Be Around," is a lesson in contrast and command, revealing the artist's unique ability to combine the razor edge of UK grime alongside the silken embrace of R&B. The track instantly commands your attention with glossy production and a depth that gives T O Soul room to continue his unconventional combination of straight-talking lyricism and understated melody.
T O Soul leaves no stone unturned. "I'll Be Around" feels like blunt talk transmuted into art, its words cutting away pretense and reaching out with their honesty, pulling you in. His verses land with precision and force, every bar heavy with the weight of his realness, while the choruses call a rich, soulful response that percolates long after each song ends. Areas of intense light and darkness, a push-and-pull of intensity and intimacy that few artists navigate as easily.
Where T O straddles both the high-octane energy of grime and the more nuanced storytelling impulses of R&B, making music that's both commanding and emotionally resonant, the blend on "I'll Be Around" feels transparent, the components working in service of the song's story rather than jockeying for position.
It is a statement, and the track isn't just for the showman's dance between technique pieces. T O Soul is a testament to the fact that music can be hard-hitting yet heartfelt, gritty yet graceful. For listeners of adventurous storytelling and genre-nonconformist soundscaping, "I'll Be Around" is a must-hear message from an artist in his prime, who knows exactly what he's singing about and isn't afraid to sing out loud.
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