Manuel Aspidi releases new Single

“Life is not what it seems,” croons a humble Manuel Aspidi as he stokes the first few flames that we’ll encounter in his new single “Let out This Light,” every word saturated in a rare emotionality we hardly ever hear in independent pop anymore. The background is littered with a piano’s somber cries, but there’s nothing as entrancing as our singer’s voice is. In “Let out This Light,” romantic R&B artist Manuel Aspidi proves that he has nothing to hide in what amounts to his most passionate lyrical assault to see widespread release outside of his native Italia.

The beauty of the verses aside, Aspidi’s execution is spot-on in this track. Compared to earlier songs, like 2009’s swinging “Tu Sei,” “Let out This Light” has a very relaxed feel to its beat, allowing for the vocal to really take the lead when it counts the most. There’s never a dull moment in the buildup to the chorus, and although I would have liked a little more oomph out of the low-end tones in this song, it’s just as moving a piece without them – in fact, it’s actually more efficient and in sync with the American pop scene this way.

I like that the mix isn’t overloaded with a lot of bells and whistles, but there’s no denying that we get the whole nine yards of Aspidi’s organic tonality in “Let out This Light.” There’s a lot to behold in this song, from the elegance of the piano to the captivating relationship that it starts with the poetic drawl leading the rhythm, and were all of the grandeur not as well-packaged as it is in this instance, I don’t know that this single would be nearly as exciting a listen as it is here.

It would be really interesting to see how “Let out This Light” sounds on the stage, where it could be manipulated into something even more deliberate in pace and expansive in color provided the right chemistry between Aspidi and the crowd. My gut tells me that this is going to increase the demand for his presence on tour, but I also think that it would be wise of him to let the buzz build for as long as possible. Manuel Aspidi is a veteran talent with a one of a kind skillset that needn’t be rushed; contrarily, it should be given as much room to blossom as we can collectively provide it.

Bold, boisterous and delivered by one of Italy’s most stylish exports of the year, “Let out This Light” is a must-listen if you enjoy creative pop magic as much as I do. There are a lot of artists trying to achieve the same kind of chill-inducing reaction that Manuel Aspidi is inevitably going to get with this single, but not many can boast over the tremendous amount of heart that this guy puts into every second of music he records. “Let out This Light” is just the latest in a long string of hits for his brand, and I think it’s safe to say that it won’t be the last.

Michael Rand