Indeed, it is a sheer honor to see the genius of Stephen H. Cumberbatch once again, better known to us by his artistic name, C’batch. It sounds ridiculous to call such a person “an artist”; rather, this man can be viewed as a vital cornerstone of our contemporary musical scene. In the creative confines of Stevette Music, Inc., the great genius goes on improving his brilliance, demonstrating with each and every piece of music how a person should dedicate his life to mastering his craft. Despite being eternally grateful to him for the divine transcendence of the song “Song For God” and the strong cathartic effect of the song “Trapped (I’m Doing Fine)”, which became a permanent part of my own playlist, there is still no doubt that I can’t wait to uncover yet another facet of this multifaceted artist. The release of the newest four-track EP called “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling)” by C’Batch on the 10th of May has given me a long-awaited opportunity to do so.
In the original version of the track Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling)”, there is an introduction that starts with the resonating sound of a filter sweep that can be compared to the sound of a heavy door opening in an empty room at night, followed immediately by the dead sound of the stick hitting the snare. These sounds create a sterile environment for the track. In this song, we meet a character who is kicking himself for falling in love. Now make no mistake, this isn’t a breakup song. The character says he won’t fall next time because he has no control over his feelings. This woman has got a hold of him; he even gives an analogy with a bee! Come on, our character is head over heels, and he’s definitely over the deep end. The feeling of this character is not new. When we fall in love and get hurt, or it ends in a bad way, we swear to ourselves, never to lose control of our emotions ever again, but, more often than not, when we know deep in our hearts that love is not on our bingo cards, boom! It hits us like lightning!. On the musical level, the performance starts with a sterile, close-miked performance. The vocalist delivers the vocal track without any atmospheric effects, which reveals the hesitance and grit in the vocals. The instrumental part is quite compelling, and it is interesting to watch the persona in the song try to stop himself from falling in love when he can’t
Whereas “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling)” used an audio spectrum of sharpness, its sister piece, “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling) (2)”, takes on one of submersion. In this track, there’s a very slow rise of reverse-reverb piano and synths, which bloom like ink in the water before they finally give way to a regular beat of heartlike sub-bass. The theme of the song remains the same as the first song. What defines the musicality of this track is its vastness, since the vocals of the song are surrounded by ethereal harmonies, which create a halo-like effect, making the singer sound like he is getting dragged down by the current.
The energy suddenly shifts into a violent spin with “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling)”1a, which begins with a soft piano sound that has been stripped of all its pomp and frills. Soon after that, the piano melody is swiftly followed by a violin melody that gives the song this classical and orchestral feel. This particular track is an instrumental that has no lyrics and has been stripped of all synths and beats. It’s nice to hear the stripped-down version of the song without its fancy production.
Finally, “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling) – Cinematic Version” is the ultimate conclusion of the cycle, which begins with a dramatic orchestra-like pad that evokes the feeling of an endless horizon of some desolate landscape at dusk. It is interrupted with a single note of high-pitched piano that sounds clear and distinct in the space filled with a huge echo. Like the previous song, this too is an instrumental and has no lyrics. As the title suggests, this is a cinematic masterpiece that belongs in every movie ever made. The production is top-notch and captivating, and it tells a story even without its lyrics. This wonderful song ends the EP.
There was no greater pleasure than watching C’batch totally thrive within these four songs. Yet again, he has shown the world that he is one of the few artists who can go back and forth from introspective confessions made in the late hours of the night to the kind of club-friendly remixes without compromising his trademark rich sound. It won’t be long before I will be eagerly awaiting his next song.
Stream the “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling)” EP on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/album/2gjgeYLdPaIs3CfiKrRajz?si=COqHRPPzTZatRLZsgpjx3A
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