South African-born, New Zealand-based R&B artist, Denel, is back with his latest moody single, “Crossroads”, which ebbs and flows in saturated synthesizers and bass that feels viscous like honey.
There is a sense of frustration that comes through the song’s stoic exterior. “They watch me fall, but they don’t help me back up” he sings through the chorus, “United we stand, divided we fall”. While it’s not clear whether Denel is commenting on something personal or global, the crossroads seems to be wrapped around the way certain things never change.
Talking about the song’s meaning, Denel says, “We’re constantly in a state of chasing the next big thing, staying validated and sometimes all of this comes at the detriment of our own selves. I think it’s so important to know your identity and be comfortable with who you are. That’s really what this song is all about.”
He says that he’s learned his lesson by the end, but the crossroads are not typically a one-time encounter in people’s lives. Whether it’s the state of the world or the state of himself, time will tell if future forks in the road will prompt him to think or act differently. But this song acts as a nice reminder to think twice before proceeding.
“Crossroads” is available now on major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Find this and more excellent music on the Alchemical Records Multigenre Mixture playlist on Spotify.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
