Brandt Orange Makes Dreamlike Precision Sound "Effortless"
Photo: Nabeel Muscatwalla
In anticipation of his debut album, songwriter and producer Brandt Orange recently released one of his most ambitious singles to date, "Effortless." While the track clocks in at a normal three-minutes-and-forty-four-seconds, "Effortless" seems far more expansive and impactful.
The Chicago-born, Los Angeles-based artist has already proven himself a powerful rising star in the alt-R&B landscape. Brandt Orange has managed to rise above the noise of seemingly millions of new artists with his attention to detail and his penchant for storytelling.
While the young artist has only released seven songs to date, each one has maintained the same level of precision, proving that Brandt Orange abides by the old adage of "quality over quantity." His latest track "Effortless" fits perfectly among other tracks in his discography and proves a welcome complement to his previous "Good Energy," which is also set to appear on his debut album.
"Good Energy" proved a perfect warm-up for "Effortless." Far more understated, "Good Energy" was a hyper-personal look at a past relationship, establishing some of the greatest themes across the upcoming album: relationships, growing up, ethnic identity, and religion. Lyrically driven, this track used its production to uphold its lyrics, expressing a mature sense of economy.
"Effortless" feels like a continuation of the themes expressed in "Good Energy," beginning with the line, "I still have them keys to your house off Cahuenga." By the chorus, "Effortless" is marked by heavy bass and 808 hi-hats and eventually plays out into a raw synth interlude. Brandt Orange skillfully expresses the story through a series of familiar images, mostly relating to cars. This image also ties "Effortless" to previous tracks like his debut single, "Chaser," from 2018.
The song climaxes at the bridge at around two minutes. It feels dream-like, using vocal pitching, panning and lush pads together to create an overwhelming sensation. The tension is relieved as the drums fade, and the chorus is repeated by a smooth female voice.
Brandt Orange and his co-producer, Cyrus Elia, masterfully articulate each section of this song with distinction. While listening to the song feels as effortless as the title suggests, it is apparent that everything was painstakingly and thoughtfully placed.
Listen to "Effortless" below:
