Rick Fouche Is a singer, rapper, producer and 3D designer from New Jersey. He has won beat competitions that garnered him cosigns from G.O.O.D music, Pusha T, Malice and Skeff Aslem. “Nautical Waves”, Fouche’s latest studio album, transposes crystal-clear artistry through a visionary complexion; forward-thinking, glistening, and somewhat mesmerizing, the project stands as one of deep-rooted expression, blending Pop, R&B, Funk and Electronic flavors. The album is a sticky listen. It reels you in from the first synth and drum beat, and refuses to let you go, even far after the album is finished. Rick Fouche combines genres and still creates his own in the process, a feat few artists successfully achieve. The tracks are also compiled with pondered lyricism, as Fouche’s words cut to the bone.
The talent on display from the opening track, “Navy”, is impacting, as Rick Fouche shuns the usual urban templates, opting for driving basslines, a thumping beat, and sweeping keys, underneath an urgent melody.
The result is a soundscape that is both ethereal and banging at the same time. “Beyoncé” ushers in some distortion and noise effects, adding a bombastic sheen to a track that throbs with intensity. Much like the star it pays homage to.
“Nautical Waves” is a fully-formed album with a vision that’s focused and vividly realized. Similarly, Rick Fouche’s song writing feels at once classic and widely experimental, as can be heard on “Dangerous”. Here Fouche injects his pop meanderings with a series of interesting sonic motifs. At the same time his vocals drive the arrangement to a higher level, as Rick Fouche pulls all his ideas together neatly.
Vocally, things get even better on the title track, “Nautical Waves”, which harbors a catchy melody and moments where Fouche shifts his voice up and down with dynamic candor and effortless ease. The instrumentation too, is completely fleshed out, as it rides on a funky beat. You don’t need to understand anything to grasp that Rick Fouche’s hair-raising songwriting is spellbinding. The power of this song creeps up on you without warning.
Even after multiple listens, these songs will keep surprising you. The final track, “Unless you do”, stands out as another highlight, as Rick Fouche weaves an astute melody while branding his crystal clear falsetto. The impeccable production also shines on every bar, allowing his gorgeous voice to revel in it.
By the time the recording shuts down, it’s clear to the listener that this album is R&B and Pop refracted, but it is engineered into something that moves on the borders of traditional structures, as Rick Fouche looks to increment his creativity.
In today’s day and age, listening to an album from beginning to end is almost unheard of. Dense, creative, and exciting, “Nautical Waves” is an immensely satisfying listen. Whether you play it from start to finish, or add a few songs to a playlist, I encourage you to give it a listen, you won’t be disappointed. Rick Fouche knew exactly what he wanted this album to sound like, and also managed to boil it down to a perfectly manageable consistency.
Connect with Rick Fouche via social media @RickFouche.
