For day 17 of our 2020 Round Up, Lola presents her favourite song of the year!
"BRB": Mahalia
Album: Isolation Tapes EP
Production: Ebenezer Fabiyi, Sillkey
This shitshow of a year has found us all craving the company of our nearest and dearest. ‘BRB’, a sultry cut of Mahalia’s delicate R&B sound, is a cherished addition to her ever-growing musical output. Documenting the hardships of a long-distance relationship (‘Woke up this morning and I looked to my left/ Thought you were here, baby/ Realized and got a sudden pain in my chest/ Thought you were near me, baby’), this kind of longing, however, is one that’s become all too familiar this year - be it with significant others, friends, or family.
‘BRB’ opens Mahalia’s ‘Isolation Tapes’ EP, a three-song release of songs which were either not finished in time for her debut album, or she had half finished since. As with the rest of the EP, ‘BRB’ evokes a sense of realism which is quickly becoming something of a Mahalia trademark. There is something both comforting and ineffable about the track; not only is it topical in its subject matter, it also combines Mahalia’s 90s-tinged R&B production with all the richness of a classic soul track. With its hazy soundscape and close-to-home subject matter, ‘BRB’ has the emotional and musical potential to resonate deeply with all those who listen.