“Elevate” by Vineet

In “Elevate,” the new single from the multi-talented and highly well-regarded Vineet introduces some old-school experimentalism to a conventional pop model, with the resulting product appealing to pretty much anyone who loves a little swing in their rhythm. Though structured around its postmodern lyrics, I wouldn’t describe “Elevate” as being overtly surreal in the least; on the contrary, its warm prose and unaggressive depiction of biblical themes are rather charming, regardless of what faith listeners follow. Vineet drops a phenomenal addition to his already sterling body of work in this track, and it’s living up to all of the buzz that it’s received so far this season.

These beats are so expressive in their own right that they don’t need the addition of a verse to get a divine point across to us. There’s so much raw, uncut emotion in this song – from the percussion to the contour of the bassline and the synthetic melody that shadows every word our leading man sings – and yet there’s never an instance where “Elevate” feels overwhelming or too cluttered for mainstream consumption. This was built to impress the masses, but there’s not a trace of inauthenticity to be found in its content.

The bass isn’t overly heavy at all in this single, and I like the fact that Vineet didn’t drown the backend of the track with a lot of unnecessary embellishments from behind the soundboard. Moderation is the key to success with all things in life, especially when it comes to making a superior urban pop track like this one. Pop is already one of the more indulgent genres in all of popular music, but the way that Vineet approaches it here is unlike any other that I’ve had the chance to take a peek at lately.

Vineet’s vocal skillset is on full display for the majority of “Elevate,” and it isn’t difficult to tell that he’s been singing for most, if not the entirety, of his life. This is a man who is completely in touch with his artistry as it stands on the horizon, and in my opinion, he’s found the most incredible way of expressing the profound love that he has for music from within the four walls of a recording studio. He doesn’t sound like an amateur still trying to find his sound in the least in this song, and that’s not a common occurrence in modern independent releases, no matter the genre.

I cannot wait to hear more from this startlingly talented up-and-coming songwriter, and if Vineet can keep the energy from the brilliant Nine. (9 Thrilling Stories. 9 Optimistic Songs) going on future recordings as he has here, then he’s going to continue enjoying quite a successful career for many years to come. Pop has required a fresh face for a while now, and in some ways, Vineet is the perfect addition to his scene at this moment. He’s got a lot of potential moving forward, but for now, I highly recommend checking out his latest studio single as well as its direct predecessor in the equally inviting “Run! Run! Run!.”

Michael Rand