The first song inspired by the upcoming movie “Abandonment” is an emotional take on the R&B/pop ballad, with an Appalachian tie-in to the film’s setting Platinum-selling R&B star Marmar Oso teams with newcomer Annie Malee on the first track inspired by the upcoming film “Abandonment”.
The cut checks all the boxes for an effective R&B or pop ballad: intricate harmonies, simple but effective piano riff, and powerful lyrics. But then track producer and co-writer Annie Malee takes it up another notch with the use of innovative musical touches to creatively deepen the storytelling in a fresh way.
But this is a movie soundtrack, after all. So the setting of the film “Abandonment”, Appalachia, also becomes another musical element in this track. Well-known Appalachian folk percussionist Steven Sandifer performs body percussion, spoons, and washboard, which add an Appalachian touch to the drums in the rhythm section. This provides a fresh folk and modern R&B fusion, and is yet another layer of nuance to this already evocative cut.
And Oso and Malee more than deliver on the vocals. Oso has never sounded more emotional and nuanced. He even allows in some plaintive cracks and heartbroken exhaustion in his voice on poignant lyrics like “I see nothing but the remnants of your beautiful soul”. He showcases a deeply vulnerable side we haven’t quite heard before from the Platinum-selling R&B star, and paints a picture of longing and heartbreak which soars over the simple, sad piano melody.
And Malee is a revelation. In her recording debut, she throws in 20-note runs and a Mariah Carey-esque range. The song showcases her wispy high notes, her sultry low notes, her bright and clear vocal timbre, and everything in between. It all makes for a virtuoso debut to the music scene.
When Oso and Malee come together on the intricate harmonies of the song climax, their voices blend beautifully and the song soars, only to wind down to a painful, haunting end. It is a fitting way to tie up a powerful, emotional entry into today’s R&B/pop music.
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