Single Review: Labrinth – ‘Let It Be’
1 min read
Singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Timothy Mckenzie, better known as Labrinth, has recently premiered the lead single from his highly anticipated, imminent sophomore album. With Let It Be, the man of many talents has detached himself from the club-banging aesthetic of much of his debut Electronic Earth, and instead rewired his childhood ties to gospel and soul.
The incredibly soulful number is both a foot-thumper and a passionate invocation for optimistic and enthusiastic individuality. Alongside his fervent vocal delivery, brassy Motown ensemble, and gospel harmonies, Labrinth maintains some of the electronica influence of his previous releases in the measured inclusion of computerised vocals and beats.
If I had of been asked to imagine the possibilities of an electronica-infused Motown-soul sound before listening to Let It Be I’m not sure I could have envisaged anything cohesive that would be able to preserve the spirit of the deeply ardent genre. Let It Be, however, successfully maintains a balance between Labrinth’s two worlds, and manifest within the track is an effective combination of old and new, soulful hope and danceable nonchalance. What’s more, Labrinth’s wonderfully emotive voice has been released from under the vast production of his debut, exposing the range and sensitivity listener’s have been awaiting since Beneath Your Beautiful, his affecting collaboration with songstress Emeli Sandé.
