KingCyborg – “Been There” / “Love Never Dies”
KingCyborg – “Been There” / “Love Never Dies” – Singles Review
If there’s one thing you can be sure of in listening to KingCyborg and digging into the way she’s approaching her music and career, it’s that you can tell she’s a born innovator, willing to put in the work and effort to change the game. She’s got loads of creativity and talent to go along with her insightful songwriting, and on the intellectual front, she’s equally fierce – English is actually the fifth language this Angolan goddess has learned throughout her journey in life. That’s completely impressive to me, the writer that feels like he could go an entire lifetime without even mastering the language he started with. So you betcha – my hat’s off to KingCyborg…she’s got all kinds of amazing things going on, and definitely deserves real respect for her commitment and passions. Releasing singles over the past three years online, I’ve got two in review for ya today as we discuss “Love Never Dies,” and her debut, “Been There.
Of the two tracks, there’s not a doubt in my mind that “Been There” has come out the stronger & more accessible cut, though I’ll be the first to admit I enjoy both. I’m always on the side of real art and artists that have the courage to challenge convention, and I feel like KingCyborg is more than willing to push the boundaries with the way she chooses to make music. For example…in the case of “Been There,” you could probably squeeze her into something like a hybrid genre of Pop/Soul or R&B/Soul…but ultimately, she’s got a lot more in common with Trip-Hop when you’re listening to atmospheric depth a track like this contains. Which is certainly all good with me y’all – anything close to Trip-Hop is going to be found towards the top of my playlists, that I can tell ya. I love the bold way she sings “Been There” and the compelling mix of deadly sensual sound she creates with her voice, I love that the music has real fire to be found within it…it’s minimalist to a degree, but everything you’ll hear is highly effective and a great pairing for KingCyborg. Essentially, you get the main star of the show right in the center of the spotlight, and she sounds spectacular on her debut without question. She’s explicit when she wants to be and the song calls for it, but most crucially, she goes with what the moment and the song truly call for – and if you’ve ever spent a minute reading these reviews I write about music, you know that’s one of the things I consider to be the most important aspects of great songwriting. KingCyborg clearly knows how to get the best out of her sound, her writing, and herself as an artist overall – it’s crystal clear from the flawless fluidity and lyrical uniqueness you’ll find within a song like “Been There” – this is fully audible art, 100%. Stunningly poetic & sleek, this song calls to you like a mythical siren…it’s undoubtedly an incredible first impression, and while it was originally released in 2020, it’s still vibrant, fresh, and relevant right now.
“Love Never Dies” is arguably fairly less accessible by comparison to “Been There,” but it has its own merits as well. Ultimately, I think the mix on this particular track could still use a bit of work…I felt like the verses came out a bit too low in the volume department, or the chorus too bright, or perhaps both. Nothing so detrimental that it would stop me or any of us from listening, but something to note going forward for the future of KingCyborg’s music; she’s got such a bold voice when she’s at full strength, that it can make a low-key moment like what we hear in the whispers of the verses almost too small when paired within the same tune. I also think that the main hook of “Love Never Dies” is probably a bit more challenging in terms of how its design and how KingCyborg chooses to sing it…at least to the average everyday listeners out there. It’s not that she’s off the mark when it comes to the tone she’s looking for, she’s just employing a more artistic strategy than most people in the masses would be used to. Don’t get me wrong & don’t get it twisted…fundamentally, I know that’s more or less what she’s really looking to achieve and accomplish, so there’s so good in that – but the reality is that it’s just a bit more artistic than the majority of listeners tend to reach for on the regular in that regard. The hooks of “Love Never Dies” are definitely memorable, the music is spectacular to the point where I might even like that part of this song more than I did in what I heard on “Been There,” yet my gut tells me that the natural fluidity and flow of her debut track will likely still make more of an impact on the people than “Love Never Dies” likely will. I’d bring those verses UP a bit…because I love the sound of KingCyborg’s vocals in that part of the song even more than the main hooks…and I’d definitely keep in mind that her voice conquers all at its maximum strength. If she’s looking for her songs and her sound to stand out even more, she can sink her biggest moments like the chorus even further into the music without the fear of being swallowed by it…she’s always going to break through with her biggest notes, but we wanna make sure we can hear all the essence of what she brings to the microphone in her quietest moments too. There’s always lots happening at the start of a career as an artist is evolving and discovering what they can really do with their music, and we learn so much as we grow. KingCyborg has got all the ideas and fundamentals locked down tight…and the rest will refine itself naturally over time and experience. To me, it’s always the ideas that matter at the beginnings of an artist’s journey, and KingCyborg’s got plenty of’em on display in both of these songs…she’s got real presence and star potential. I’m definitely curious about what’ll come next from her, and excited to hear where she takes her music from here.
Find out more about King Cyborg from the official links below!
Main site: https://kingcyborg.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kngcybrg
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kngcybrg
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kingcyborg
Magical multi-link: https://withkoji.com/@KingCyborg
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