Vantreux – Outcast (2022)
With his debut single ‘taboo’, Vantreux brought melodic harmony through gruff vocals and delicate instrumentation, while exposing human fragility. He is continuing his delve into sensitive subjects with his single ‘Outcast’, which touches on systemic racism, underage drug abuse and poverty. Using witty rhythms and some truly captivating beats, he draws listeners into these topics with a delightful authenticity that showcases their importance.
Not only does Vantreux delve into these topics, but he also brings an immense outpour of emotion through the honest sounds of his music. Through this single, he highlights his uncanny ability to pull you into what he has to say, while teasing something much deeper. As Vantreux writes, performs and produces his own music, you can feel how he has grown as a musician, from his debut to this release.
‘Outcast’ has a laid back feeling to the opening as the hum flows through the soundscape. There is a hazy vibe to the opening line that leads you into Vantreux’s smooth rap. The layering of the vocals allows the message of the lyrics to really shine through. The depth of the humming backing creates a soft space for you to relax while the rap flow grabs your attention and thrusts societal problems into the light. His performance has a rather companionable feeling to it, like you are talking to a friend about the problems you face in the world. There are a lot of subjects brought up throughout the single that we all need to be aware of and think about. The way these sensitive problems are handled is masterful because it brings them to life, infuses them with emotion and gets you thinking about living through them. The conscious hip-hop flow of the vocal performance adds further emphasis to the subject matter, while the emotions bring a wave of tired resignation.
While the vocals pull you into the single, the melody forms a light backing. The humming that leads you down the soundscape is like a soft water current that you are caught in. The beats jitter and throb in the low levels adding a great bounce to the music. This brings a touch of hip-hop to the soundscape. Later in the track, higher tones delicately rain down onto the melody, like stars twinkling in the distance. The light touch of the melody is a wonderful counter to the heavy topics brought up in the lyrics.
Vantreux delves into sensitive topics through the conscious movement of his vocals and the easy delivery of the lyrics in ‘Outcast’. The melody is a light counterpoint to the heaviness of the subject matter. His vocals are the star of the show as they get you thinking about the societal problems he highlights.
Find out more about Vantreux on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
