Hear the Futurism of Kelela and Clams on “A Breath Away”
In life, but especially in music, the future comes to pass before you even know it. It’s been five years since Clams Casino dropped his first Instrumental mixtape and three since Kelela released her debut Cut 4 Me—at this point, it is not hasty to say that they saw the future and are now living in the moment they helped craft. Would R&B and rap sound as weird as it does without their contributions?
In “A Breath Away,” Kelela and Clams penned a versatile ballad that is appropriate for both cosmic and bedroom-sized needs. It’s restrained without being quiet, and narcotic without any of the sleepy side effects. Casino’s production, in the vein of all great minimalists, cleverly manipulates space and angles. He dots the song with well-timed splotches of drums (that are strangely redolent of Phil Collins) and vaporous synthesizer. But Kelela’s voice is the star in all this, filling in Casino’s brush strokes with bold primary colors. Her singing is dizzying but transportive, enough to make you believe that there is a life after this mortal one.
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