Devon Gilfillian - “Unchained”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 5 

Pairs Well With…Mobley, Moses Sumney, Cautious Clay

Devon Gilfillian kicked off 2020 with his dynamic, thoughtful debut Black Hole Rainbow, stretching the R&B genre into fluid new and old directions. Gilfillian mostly lives in a space of downtempo soul, experimenting in jazz, pop, and electronic forms while clearly coming from a personal space. While the Nashville-based artist could have pulled off a solid throwback-R&B record given his smooth, natural vocal delivery, Gilfillian’s penchant for lush experimentation transforms Black Hole Rainbow into a dense and interesting record that borders on psychedelic pop material at times. That said, much of Black Hole Rainbow gives off an air of hope and confidence (“Unchained”, “The Good Life”), balancing smartly against more abstract, nuanced material like “Stay A Little Longer” and gospel-filled “Find A Light”. One foot on the ground and one in the clouds, Gilfillian’s music stance is strongly rooted, impressive, and at its best, fearless. (Kevin McStravick)