Sollars – “Pieces” / “Rap Kicks”
Sollars – “Pieces” / “Rap Kicks” – Singles Review
Much like I felt towards the previous two singles I reviewed from Sollars called “Exhausted” & “Dragon,” I continue to dig on what this dude is creating and think he’s really onto something with the music he’s making. I put on “Pieces” for the first time just the other day, and felt like it really confirmed how right I was about him before…I was probably only a couple of spins deep when I stopped and went “damnnnn this is addictive!” out loud in the middle of listening. And by ‘stopped,’ I mean like, in the real proverbial sense…you know, like, to take stock of the situation…believe me when I tell ya I kept on spinnin’ this cut.
So…let’s start with “Pieces” because this other single I’ve got, “Rap Kicks,” doesn’t come out for another week or so, being released on March 17th. “Pieces” is out there for ya right now, and you should seriously make some time to go check this out. Especially if you were into “Dragon” from the last couple tracks I reviewed…”Pieces” is somewhat an extension of that similar sound/style for sure, but like, almost as if it’s infused with the heavy emotional content you found in “Exhausted” too. “Pieces” fits snugly somewhere in the middle of those two tracks for sure, while giving you the best of both worlds; essentially it’s got a vibrantly upbeat sound to it, while diving deep into the ol’ thoughts and feelings like Sollars is so capable of doing with pinpoint accuracy & genuine sincerity. I could tell from the music he’s workin’ with in the thirty-plus seconds of instrumental opening to “Pieces” that I was probably going to dig how this track came out, and once Sollars grabbed the mic to do his thang, he certainly didn’t disappoint. I do go back & forth a little bit on the degree of effects he chooses to use…not so much because it doesn’t sound good, just more towards the…hmmm…I guess I’m just still not entirely convinced that he needs them as much as he seems to want to use’em. Like…you can’t help but really notice how much they play a role on “Pieces” as he starts to sing – those effects he’s using are cranked up to supply the digital juice big-time…and part of me still suspects that more of a natural sound might actually benefit him more in the long run. Think of it this way…even T-Pain eventually had to surrender and realize there was a whole lot more to what he was doing and didn’t want to be continually defined by the effects he was rockin’ with. I listen to the hooks of “Pieces” outside of the verses and feel like that’s closer to the sweet spot overall…the verses seem way more heavy-handed on the effects, and the chorus seems to have dialed that back by like 10-15% less to give Sollars just a bit more of a hint of his own natural sound, which is great. Don’t get me wrong…I ain’t complaining…I like what I hear on “Pieces” personally, because I do dig effects & whatnot…I’m just thinking out loud about the future ahead for Sollars and where he’ll take his music next is all. When it comes right down to it, it’s not the effects that are the main draw in his music…I suppose that’s what I’m saying…it’s way more about the combination of his honest personality, consistently engaged performances, and stellar songwriting – there are the elements that are making the biggest impact on every one of us out there listening. Styles will come & go like any trends will…I have no doubt that he will look back on tracks like “Dragon” and “Pieces” later on down the road in his career and be like, ‘ohhh yeah – that was so 2023’ just like so many others are able to look at their work from a distance with time & experience as they continue to evolve. The real bottom line is that Sollars is creating wildly addictive & irresistible tunes no matter how you look at it or what you like…the dude’s a talented songwriter & that’s gonna be his pathway forward.
Anyhow. I kind of knew all this…like I said, I think Sollars is on completely solid ground when it comes right down to it. I’ve had the honor of talking to the guy a little bit behind the scenes, and he sounds more fired-up and focused than ever…so trust me when I tell ya, I think he’s about to surge straight into his prime. What really surprised me this time around in listening to these singles, was “Rap Kicks” – this dude’s got BARS and all kinds of mic skills I didn’t even know about yet. Now…I have to be freakishly CAREFUL here…because I honestly like what’s he’s had goin’ on in his Indie/Emo vibes so much that the last thing I’d ever want to do is encourage him to stop the momentum on all that…but like…DAMN this track is fuckin’ HOT y’all! “Rap Kicks” is something else to experience, and speaks volumes on behalf of just how skilled Sollars really is…dude’s got versatility and the ability to rock a microphone in several ways. The confidence he’s got on display here is nothing short of magnificent – and he SHOULD BE – if you or I had skills like this, we’d be rockin’ the mic 24/7. “Rap Kicks” has a completely kickass old-school vibe to it, and there’s not a damn thing Sollars could have done to make this track any better than it IS. The beat’s tight, the bars are hot, he’s “dustin’ off my rap kicks” to prove he’s “the whole total package” – and he’s got me convinced of that, 100%. And did he just drop in a shout-out to Dat Piff as well? Hell yes he did! What else can I say? That’s rad…if you know, you know. Like I said…I don’t wanna tell this dude to abandon what he’s got goin’ on with what he’s doin’ with his latest music…but “Rap Kicks” is the kind of cut that almost has me wanting to, you know what I mean? It’s that bulletproof without a doubt…and if you’re a fan of real Hip-Hop, you’re guaranteed to bump this cut as loud as your system will take it. March 17th y’all…mark that day on your calendars for real! Sollars is building a real catalog that’s powerfully diverse right now, and he’s got killer material that’s gonna take him a long, long way.
Listen to more music by Sollars at Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Zy1pxKelR4WYq9vEf3nF4
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