Philadelphia music artist and producer Ruffin, released his crossover single “Shallow”, on all major platforms on October 26th 2018. A blend of Hip Hop, Chill Wave, Pop, and R&B, the track is destined to satisfy a wide number of musical palettes. His voice is intoxicating. Combine this with excellent production and you will instantly know it’s about time you got this track onto your playlist. At first glance, Ruffin’s music is flawless: surreal production complemented by an embracing voice like no other. As you gaze past the luxurious sonic landscape and start searching for meaning in the words, you realize there is just as much substance as there is style.
Ruffin finds his own personal way to depict the mystifying and transcending forces of love and lust in “Shallow”. Ruffin is well aware of his facts and ensures that his audience also gets the memo, passing on wisdom about the necessity to e apprehensive about relationships built upon an inability to look beyond the physical laws of attraction.
This vision, besides crafting unforgettable lines for the record, reasserts why the singer will receive undivided attention: he is willing and able to utilize this song as a journal, to help people know that they’re not alone, and enable them to learn from his erroneous superficial behavior in a relationship.
Ruffin sings like someone who’s experienced a full life’s worth of delusions and self-reflection. The Philly singer is right at the precipice of adulthood, but unlike many of his peers, who are intoxicated with a sense of invincibility when it comes to matters of the heart, the inevitability of time passing and its role in romance weighs heavily on Ruffin’s mind when he puts pen to paper.
While he doesn’t discourage us to make love, he warns us to question it. It’s this intersection of love, lust and internal growth, that gives “Shallow” its captivating values. Especially coming from a male point of view.
It’s interesting to note that Ruffin has far more vocal presence than many of his contemporaries. His melismatic crooning manages to capture a sense of sensuality and soul that many of the so-called sad-boy R&B singers lack. The fact that he captures the depth of his experiences so effortlessly in his performance suggests that he will make one hell of an album once the opportunity arises.
Regardless, it’s obvious that he values the autonomy to dedicate time when it comes to matters of the heart. I also love the beat, it’s clean, catchy and compliments his voice too. You’ll dig how when Ruffin’s vocals rise in the chorus, the music ascends along with him so it creates a suspenseful, but playful melody.
Overall, I really enjoyed “Shallow”. Ruffin delivered on all cylinders. Lyrically he conveyed himself very well while finding the production that matches the tone he wanted to set. While romantic entanglements of the future remain a mystery for most of us, one thing’s for sure: Ruffin seems poised to make his mark in the urban music universe.
OFFICIAL LINKS: EPK – SOUNDCLOUD
