It’s called soul music for a reason. With R&B on the rise as a genre nationally as of late, it’s very easy for artists to fall back on the tropes of pop music, simply sticking to a formula when creating a new piece of content for the world. However, the latest from Pink Sweat$, Pink Planet, feels authentic from the soulful organ chords on the intro “Pink City.”
Heartfelt notes and individual parts are given space to breath on this album, and with 18 tracks, there’s no shortage of music or holding back from doing what feels right on this release. Sweat$, aka vocalist David Bowden, has just the right amount of pleasure and pain in his vocal performance to feel as sincere as can be. While some pop-leaning elements aren’t completely avoided, it’s hard to hear other contemporaries deliver a song like ballad “Chains” with the same effect that Bowden brings to the song.
Having what would be considered a lengthier project by today’s standards also allows for a variety of topics and sounds to bleed their way into Pink Planet. Few songs carry the swagger and style of “Pink Money” with the musicianship to back it up. That track is followed by “At My Worst,” a song that in the right live setting could produce seemingly infinite phone flashlights to be illuminated. The fact that those songs can play out in succession and compliment one another is just one example of the top-notch production that went into the album.
When many artists and labels are quick to turn out a new project, it’s audibly clear that Pink Planet was the product of detailed craftsmanship.
