Track of the Day: Azu Yeché – Leave Me Now (2024)
If you are unsure who Azu Yeché is, then you’re not alone…I’m pretty late to the party as well. Soulful, smooth and tender, discovering Yeché is like finding an oasis in the Sahara desert. Stumbling across him and enjoying the music is like tasting sweet water after ages of gritty sand. So, who is he actually I hear you ask. Other than an insatiable voice on Spotify, he is a UK-based artist ensnaring audiences in his live performances and studio releases. Featured on various radio stations and notable publications, he blends elements of soul, gospel and African influences in moving melodies. The latest addition to his discography is the single ‘Leave Me Now’.
Following his critically acclaimed two-part EP Soul Afrikanah, ‘Leave Me Now’ is Azu Yeché’s swift saunter into 2024. A refreshing mix of vintage soul with 90s RnB and a contemporary soul-pop kick, the single is delightfully familiar and refreshingly, um, fresh. Recorded with producer Jim Lawton, there is a smooth flow to ‘Leave Me Now’; however, despite the smooth combination of beats, percussion and piano, raw vulnerability exists in the single. It’s not merely in Yeché’s vocals or the haunting backing vocals, but within the melody as well. The inclusion of a rich cello with bold drums and searing classic rock guitar inserts a long-lasting, hard-hitting intensity from only a brief appearance.
Any high-quality track, particularly RnB/soul songs needs sophisticated instrumentation with elegant vocals. For me, the clarity and mellifluous nature of Yeché’s voice offers soothing sincerity in its soundscape. Yet, as with the light and dark of the melody, his clear voice is sophisticated but hides a raw innocence and wavering fragility. Touching on the issue of relationships, ‘Leave Me Now’ clings to the yearning need for love but desperate strength to pull away. Yeché explains:
“I wrote ‘Leave Me Now’ from the viewpoint of being with someone who isn’t as sure about the relationship as you are. You would rather end things than continue with someone who is not all in.”
Find out more about Azu Yeché on his official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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