You Are My Friend nestles into a neat little space that exists in the gap where modern R&B, forward-thinking pop, neo-soul and the vague echos of hip-hop (the chilled and humourous De La Soul end of things rather than the shouty and aggressive NWA stuff) almost, but don’t quite meet.
It is relaxed, almost to the point of being meditative, the beats are trippy and the feeling buoyant but the music and vocals above it seem almost to melt wonderfully into the sonic landscape, draping everything in a cool musical veneer and creating a smooth and rounded off experience.
The song, like the overall modus operandi that seems to inform Alex Ice’s music, comes from a positive place, and the feeling is one of celebration, even if that celebration is wonderfully understated. But the positivity and warmth flow easily out to the listener and the world is undoubtedly a better place for having Alex Ice and his music in it.
