Photo Credit: Osian Jenaer
‘Set Me Free’, the track from Elias Traynor and Micco featuring Akemi Fox & Teo, is an ethereal and dreamy potion of bedroom pop and lo-fi hip hop, that calmly weaves its magic throughout the lowkey running time.
The hypnotic, angelic vocals from Akemi Fox suit the production style well, with her gentle tone and harmonies melodically appealing. Her lyrics feel hopeful and candid, whilst being clouded by uncertainty, and the whole song has this aesthetic ambiguity to it. Micco has a confidence in his lyricism that is rare. The artist shows off the full scope of his talent; with his idyllic first verse that is sung in a low, tuneful voice, compared to a second verse in which he raps almost tenderly, reminiscent of Loyle Carner. His delicate tone compels the listener to listen closely to hear every word that he says. The back and forth nature of the track gives it some extra interest, and it almost feels like a conversation.
The beat itself is just really, really nice. The synth sample combined with the subdued keys that offer some gracious counter melodies are top quality, and the bass line carries the more sparse sections of the instrumental. With strong production and engaging vocal and lyrical ideas, this is an appealing and striking track.
