My Bae Monday is making a second appearance on BINACT. If you recall the first bae of My Bae Monday was none other than Vic Mensa (aka Bae Mensa). Scroll back some and go check that out. Today’s bae is songwriter turned R&B artist, Elijah Blake. I’ll provide a quick Complex write-up on him for a little background. I need all of my word count to take this album favorite track by track.
“Shadows & Diamonds”
The intro to this 14 track album is dark and sultry. The vocals he lends to the hard hitting bass in the beat are a perfect contrast. I expect a different feel from this album than most R&B albums. He does not disappoint.
“Everyday”
Who do you trust when you ain’t got nobody?
This is one of my favorite songs off of the album. The bass pounding rhythms continue as Elijah describes his plight to stardom. He gives a fun fact that No ID is one of his closest producers. I’m introduced to his silky falsetto and swoon mode is activated. I swoon harder each song.
“I Just Wanna”
This is how I started listening to Elijah Blake. This catchy single played on the radio and made it to my Spotify playlist quickly. The video attracted me to him even more. His simple but fun choreography combined with the typical “I want to chase the girl” video theme sent me to swoon level 2. I was sent back to my middle school days watching the video multiple times and trying to practice the dance moves (I had a couple sips of Henny but it was fun). It’s hard not to like this song.
“Uno”
When you smile slightly crooked that’s your style, don’t you fix it.
OMG OMG OMG. I added this song to my list of songs I want played at my wedding. It’s that serious. It has that old school vibe to it. It’s a romantic song about his only one. I’m not going to discuss his vocals in every single description because they’re great and I don’t have to. There’s another high note here that gets a couple hundred swoon points.
“Angel Dust”
I wanna make a promise I can’t keep just to get a taste of your sweet dreams.
What’s an R&B album without a sex song? Angel Dust is one of the most delicate songs about sex I’ve ever heard. Elijah compares sex to an ethereal experience. Swoon mode level over 9000 at this point. This is the last song on the album for a reason. He needs you to remember that he’s not an ordinary artist or singer.
I don’t like to give all the details of an album/project because I urge my readers to give them a listen. Don’t just take my word for it! Elijah Blake has made his transition from songwriter to singer almost effortlessly. I need to give his 2 mixtapes a try but if they are anything like this album, I’m sold. I added his song on the SoundCloud playlist called “Give Me U” produced by Corin Roddick of Purity Ring. Elijah Blake crooned his way into my heart and I will never look at Usher’s “Climax” the same again.
**Complex write up: http://www.complex.com/music/2012/12/who-is-elijah-blake/
**SoundCloud playlist: https://soundcloud.com/dazeminded/sets/binact