Houston singer Keshi recently released his latest EP, “Bandaids”, where one of his featured songs is “Blue”. Keshi is known for occupying the “lo-fi hip hop” space and has released music for the past few years, so let’s dive into one of his newest songs.
Lyrics: A
Keshi’s lyrics set the tone for an introspective song about the loss of closeness with friends and loved ones:
New faces, I’m racin’
On foot but I’ll never make it home
Sixth street for the occasion
Can’t take all of the changes
Tasty:
“Blue” is full of hidden meanings that seem likely related to his own upbringing. With lyrics such as:
Sixth street for the occasion
… and…
Blue moon, in different phases
Blue moon, in different places
The surface level meaning is not directly clear, but they provide just enough context to convey the story telling of the song. Similar to the pains associated with adjusting from teenage years to adulthood, “Blue” conveys the aspect of that transition where close bonds with others eventually disappear due to the busyness of life.
Keshi perfectly describes the changes that adulthood brings — career, family, and relationships — with the lines:
Why was everyone leaving?
Do we say what we mean?
Got the 9-5 and the bloodline
Better dress up for the date night
For the date night
Production: B
“Blue” is a guitar driven, mid-tempo track that showcases the lyrics and vocal delivery of Keshi.
Tasty:
Keshi made a smart decision to provide a simple production “Blue” due to its subject matter — otherwise the meaning of the song could get lost. The melody of the song fits perfectly with the lyrics of the song, and helps emphasize the feeling of wistfulness at the crumbling of bonds to close friends.
Keshi’s vocals within the song are pleasant, and he provides glimpses of his vocal capability. The soft delivery he provides meshes well with the laidback production on “Blue”.
Not So Tasty:
More dynamic within “Blue” would help pace out the song, as it can teeder on sounding monotonous as the song progresses. Kenshi provides some change with the bridge but shortly after, the song returns to its previous level.
Although the guitar is a pleasant compliment to the song, its pronounced usage becomes obvious as the song continues without too much else changing in the melody and production.
Replayability: A
“Blue” makes a great song to listen to for many occasions and moods due to its relaxing vocal delivery and melody. Keshi’s vocal delivery gently carries the song throughout, and the meaning of the song unravels more with additional listens.
Final Grade: B+
“Blue” by Keshi is a relaxing and meaningful song about the pains associated with transitioning into adulthood. The song’s lyrics are its biggest highlight and showcases the writing talent of Keshi.
Color Vibe: Sunset Orange
Season Vibe: Summer, Winter
Mood Vibe: Hurt, Wistful
Mocha Quality: B+
Tags: Lofi Hiphop
Check out Keshi’s music video for “Blue” below.
Keshi interviews with Radio Heatwave to discuss with music and fashion — watch it here.
[…] The sound of “Wayo” by Bang Ye Dam is reminiscent of music by the artist Keshi. Check out our review of Keshi’s “Blue” here. […]