Flooded Field by Caracol

“Flooded Field” isn’t entirely successful, but captivates me for a number of reasons. Caracol’s artistic daring involving Detroit rapper Illa J in her song is notable and comes off very well despite any misgivings you might have about such a pairing,. Her lyrics for the track are practically a master’s class in how to suggest a lot without ever succumbing to excessive verbiage – Caracol conjures up a number of images with only a few deft touches of language. The light electronic touch opening the track has a commercial pop edge, but it never has a cheap air surrounding it. Instead, “Flooded Field” has something approaching grandeur during some parts of the track contrasted with a light reggae step that never sounds forced or shallow. This single from her current new album Symbolism provides a wealth of entertainment and substance.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/05DVhqCl0NIyfyyCpqhXOF

The entertainment comes from a number of sources. The interplay between Caracol and rapper Illa J cannot be underestimated. His presence in the song is, naturally, much smaller than her own, but what he brings to the track plays off against her own voice in a dramatic way without ever overwhelming what she does. The spotlight is focused on her for good reason. His lyrical additions to the song are brief as well, but he brings a different point of view to the subject that help further Caracol’s artistic aims without ever cutting against its potential

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I am quite fond of the way the song begins. Caracol is an obviously patient composer, preferring to build a track rather than revealing all of her cards at once, and the considered unfolding of the performance enhances its durability for listeners. This is a track you can return to over and over again without ever tiring. The piano present during much of the song is an exquisite musical touch and matches up well with her voice while the reggae influences, pronounced only for a portion of the tune, nonetheless remain present for the bulk of the song and are well suited to her vocal talents. “Flooded Field” has a lot to offer listeners and boasts imaginative makeup that few other pop songs today seem to possess. The video for the song is an excellent example of how you can further exploit a song’s potential and should be entertaining viewing for anyone who enjoys the music on its own.

GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/music/preview/Thdbflfbvjqxrfh4n2ynstldwrq?play=1&u=0

Michael Rand