Col3trane - “Someone to Watch Over Me”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Smino, Omar Apollo, Frank Ocean

Balancing pop and alternative R&B/hip hop modes in his music, Col3trane’s sound is equally accessible and mysterious, smooth and experimental. His songwriting is mostly emotive and internal as well, born of bedroom soul and performed with a delicate touch. Col3trane’s vocals recall 90s pop runs in his inflections, but there’s a melancholy spirit over his approach preventing his music from becoming sugary at any given moment. With a couple EPs under his belt following 2018 debut Tsarina, Col3trane continues to produce quality, dreamy material this year with “Someone to Watch Over Me”, a jazz-inflected number nicely bridging classic and contemporary R&B influences. (Kevin McStravick)