Alternative hip-hop artist Selassie drops his brand-new single/visualize for “Agua,” via XYZ123.
XYZ123 is a small collective of various musicians, artists, talents, and entrepreneurs from around the world, who create their art as a unit and release them under various pseudonyms and artist names. Based between the UK and Germany, the label is set to showcase, collaborate, and create with upcoming emerging talent and like-minded individuals, and was established in 2022, via The Orchard/Sony.
Talking about his music, Selassie shares, “My music reflects the way you want to be loved.”
Born in Ghana, Selassie’s sound amalgamates lo-fi vibes, tinctures of jazz savors, nuances of African filaments, and hip-hop into dynamic music with honest lyrics.
Approaching his music from a state of naivety, Selassie is at heart still the Kid from Dansoman, walking through the world, influenced by the brush strokes and contours of his life. His journey is heavily inspired by “breaking the stereotypes and the mentality of kids from Africa to Europe.”
Not hindered by categories, he creates unique experiences by experimenting with diverse fields of music. With a playful approach and a nonchalant poetic delivery, he produces a rare sonic texture with a Style that he describes as “a transparent conversation with himself.” Incorporating cuts and switch-ups that lead you in and out of worlds that reflect emotions, Selassie’s music is at once haunting and compelling.
Opening on slow, massive, crunching percussion topped by gleaming, sparkling accents as well as dreamy, orchestral washes, “Agua” meanders on a reverberating bassline as Selassie’s freewheeling, lingering voice infuses the lyrics with evocative, baritone timbres.
The feel and flow of the tune drip with creamy, dreamy textures, giving the song a syrupy, alluring motion.
Heaving with cavernous muscle, “Agua” demonstrates the enormous talent and rich, memorable flow of Selassie.
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