As the crisp autumn air turns into brisk winter nights, Falcons and B. Lewis concocted the perfect blend of R&B, future bass, EDM & hip hop to heat up a late night cruise. Based in Los Angeles, Falcons is a producer that garnered acclaim with his fusion of multiple genres. Utilizing elements of R&B, hip hop & EDM, his signature sound became appreciated in both the mainstream and underground world of music. As a pioneer of this amalgamation of sound, Falcons inspired many producers such as Brasstracks, B. Lewis, and the like. Based in San Jose, B. Lewis is a producer/songwriter turned singer on DAYDRIFT. During their early Soundcloud days, Falcons met B. Lewis at a now-defunct party in Los Angeles called Low End Theory. According to Falcons, “We immediately knew we’d be friends and just kept up over the years. In 2017, we decided to come together for a one-off collaboration track but we quickly realized we worked really well together and needed to do more. The result is DAYDRIFT.”
During a renaissance of soul/R&B music, DAYDRIFT exemplifies a project that seeks to break the mold of today’s saturation of EDM and hip-hop music. Using vocoder and autotune effects, B. Lewis’ delivery on vocals complements the instrumentation and creates a wavy ambiance reminiscent of 80s synthwave. Since B. Lewis also had a hand in production, his versatility is a strong suit displayed throughout the project. The combination of Falcons’ prowess in production and B. Lewis’ songwriting ability results in a cohesive EP with each successive track. Since DAYDRIFT only contains three features, the duo forces the listener to focus on their musicality in this collaborative effort.
Setting the tone for the project, the tandem enlists Jazz Cartier and GoldLink to lend their talents on “Waterworld.” Falcons & B. Lewis were meticulous in their soulful arrangement that meshed Jazz Cartier’s powerful crooning and GoldLink’s bouncy flow. Subdued vocal samples laced underneath sticky percussion, piano, and atmospheric synths capture the listener’s attention with its infectious energy. Similar to Jack U‘s approach to production, “Lucid” follows suit by embedding tropical house vibes with EDM-style synth patterns and an 808 drum kit. B. Lewis’ reverbed vocals enhance the dreamy vibe by interweaving the song’s space. “Fantasy” incorporates a familiar drum pattern utilized in Notorious B.I.G.‘s “Juicy” and more recently, “Land of the Free” by Joey Bada$$. As a personal standout, Falcons & B. Lewis executed a blissful marriage between 90s R&B and 80s synthwave masterfully.
As a shift from the previous tracks, the deep house soundscape in “Closer 2 U” presents an uptempo barrage of scintillating vocal samples. A warping “Yeah! Woo!” vocal sample adds a dash of 80s nostalgia to transform listeners to the feet-tapping hit, “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock. As the song’s main focal point, B. Lewis delivers airy vocals to tie the track together with silky textures. The project ends on a high note with a hypnotic groove sprinkled with smooth chords, steady synths, and a boom-bap pattern. Layered with B. Lewis’ captivating vocals, Falcons’ stripped-down approach in instrumentation is showcased in “Breath.”
Be sure to check out Falcons & B. Lewis on Soundcloud and listen to their collaborative effort below:
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