• Commendable vocal performance
• Stale and predictable drop
• Can artists stop copying Alan Walker’s style?
Tungevaag had my admiration a few months ago, his bouncy style being catchy and he was settling as one of the recurring main figures in Spinnin’ Records. Singles like “Knockout” (honourable mention to Da Tweekaz’s remix) and “Peru” justified his inclusion into such an esteemed label, but I couldn’t say the same after the incredibly BORING (yes, I must insist this in capital letters) collaboration with Rat City and Rich The Kid. Recently, he teamed up with a veteran icon, and wait for it, we have yet another stodgy instrumental titled “Kingdoms” as the outcome.
This work made me forget the ear-candy and distinctive features Tungevaag embedded in his creations. Jay Hardway’s involvement is a misfortune, since the Dutch heavyweight somehow ended up drawing way too much inspiration from Alan Walker. The vocal performance saves the score here, but I was expecting something more euphoric and a fitting melody for the song.
Even if the melody remains catchy from some aspects, my opinion on the drop segment remains contrary. The build-up falls flat and proceeds with a mundane vibe leading to the copycat of a drop, but not made with much attention to details. The bassline is overused in this sort of style, and the track didn’t provide me any motivation to write this article. But as any critic, I will still highlight the positive aspects. As I had said before, the vocal delivery is great and the melody does the job, although this has added to my reasons on why I don’t prefer to talk about releases from bigger imprints.
In conclusion, “Kingdoms” strikes as a prime example of how attempts at popular styles can change the view towards an artist. It’s a pity considering Jay Hardway having kept such a consistent reputation throughout, known for his funky and grabby Electro House tunes agreed on this project. And as for Tungevaag, my hope remains that he decides to seek more quality than relevance. “Kingdoms” has interesting features, but drawn back mostly for a commercial style approach and a cut-and-dried finishing.
What do you think?
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