Sy Baldwin works, at least on the strength of his latest single, Tangled, in the tradition of the great and sound of the golden age of soul. Reminiscent of the style of the scene that turned the likes of Barry White and The commodores into household names, Tangled wanders the same boudoir disco-ballad vibes, shows the same masterful creativity within the engaging soul and more popular end of the R&B sound.
But this is no pastiche; for all its echoes of such past greats, it is also built on contemporary beats and polished with modern production. And the result is the best of both worlds, a song that feels like you have been listening to it all your life yet is as fresh and exciting as anything released today.
Soulful, sensual, seductive, fresh yet familiar, laid back, and engaging. Tangled is the sound of an artist who knows where he has come from and is fully aware of the shoulders of which giants they are standing on, but who. more importantly, is fixed on where they are going.