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Brit Royal - "Change" (Dream Mix) (2017)







Brit Royal, consisting of brother Kais and Mazin Oliver, has released the single “Change” taken from their recent full length album London. The twosome has impressed many important songwriting and production talents on both sides of the Atlantic like Dishwalla’s J.R. Richards and Mikal Blue but, naturally, their talents for capturing the imagination of audiences has earned them a growing fan base if serious and casual music fans alike. The single bears out why. They are powerful writers and performers capable of stripping down their vision to its most lean and visceral while never losing any of its robust color. They may be young, but this latest single shines with the inner glow of musical artists who have been at this for a long time and are nearing the peak of their powers.

Some might think that such a stripped down arrangement, essentially revolving around piano and vocal, risks the possibility of boring listeners. They would be wrong. “Change” has all of the extraordinary movement held within the song’s theme and takes a number of surprising, understated turns throughout. The song never bites off any more than it can chew. It runs just the right amount of time and the development of its various peaks and valleys comes at all the best points. The measured quality of this performance has impressive maturity and a practically orchestrated sweep. Despite the obvious finesse, however, it radiates real warmth and remains accessible throughout the duration of the song.

The vocals are an excellent match for the musical arrangement and balances out nicely with the sparse instrumentation. It’s interesting to hear how there can be such a steady balance between two primary musical elements and all of the appropriate space still exists in the music. There is a plaintive quality to the phrasing and the its unadorned production has the effect of placing you in the same room with the performers. The intimacy of “Change” is one of its primary selling points and it helps the lyrical content get over even stronger.

The lyrics don’t give short shrift to the theme, but the theme is certainly common in popular music. The Oliver Brothers, however, manage to bring a sense of the individual to the writing without ever relying too heavily on the same assortment of clichés powering similar songs. The beauty of this performance, ultimately, resides in how all of its qualities come together in perfect harmony guided by a truly artistic touch. Brit Royal will surely experience more success to come and “Change” certainly proves they are an act possessing great touch and taste.

Written by Montey Wright

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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