There is something more spiritual about the airwaves now that Stephen H. Cumberbatch, better known in the art world by the name of C’batch, has decided to make a return. Calling him just an “artist” would be the grossest form of understatement; it is too plain a term for someone who has become one of the foundations of our musical identity. As an inspiration in the sacred, creative space of Stevette Music, Inc., he keeps honing his brilliance and being an example of how to devote one’s whole self to perfectionism. We are all still marveling at the divine transcendence of “Song for God” and the pure catharsis of “Trapped (I’m Doing Fine)” along with his other EP Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling) and the multi-genre C’batch The Vault 2 (Soul/RNB/Pop/Rock/Reggae). However, in the process of trying to appreciate the full spectrum of his talent, he has once again opened the doors to introduce The Vault 1 (C’batch Smooth / Rough). Coming out on the 21st of March, this 18-track collection is more of a journey into the mind of a master musician than an album, so we can only be awestruck by this magnificent accomplishment and dive into the heart of these eighteen beautiful creations.

This track takes its first breath in the union between the guitar and the drums, in the melody that doesn’t feel like a preamble but more like a shelter. The moment when this melody comes out is also the moment of total silence, as the listener is embraced by an atmosphere of calm and tranquility. “Song For God” is a remarkable composition by C’batch where he weaves an amazing combination of ambient soul and cinematic minimalism. It is characterized by an elegant grace that speaks volumes about his inner world. The song is intimate in its essence and aims to draw listeners into a state of pure consciousness. All the sounds are meant to make you pause and immerse your soul in self-reflection with grace. Those looking for a perfect composition to play during a meditative session will not be disappointed with this one.

In “Round & Round,” the song begins with a mesmerizing,  slow yet captivating drum beat and mouth percussion that increases in tempo, deliberately inducing feelings of disorientation and entrapment. In the lyrics, the circularity of the harmful pattern is broken down, as well as the frustration involved in escaping oneself from one’s own destructive tendencies. The vocals are rushed, adding tension to the synthetic and whirlpool-like tune, which mirrors being trapped in a whirlwind. The effect is physical as the listener feels trapped in the cycle represented in the song title.

“Just Into You (Alternate 2)” starts with a nice, soft piano melody before evolving into a soft, rolling bassline, which has a pulsating quality similar to that of the human heartbeat. In this alternate version, the feeling of fragility brought about by complete submission of o Round & Round (Alternate Version 2) begins with a reversal of the eerie synth buildup in the intro, which causes confusion and then leads to an interpretation of the original rhythmic elements with a much slower pace and heavier sound. This rendition of the theme brings out its dark side, putting more focus on fatigue and not so much on motion. The music itself is dense and muddy, immersing the listener in the circle of the song.

The track “Next Time (I Won’t Be Falling)”  has 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

“Are You There? (Version 1)”begins with a bright, digital beat that seems to be reaching out into the abyss, and then comes the melancholy ringing tones of the synth instrument. The music sounds airy and grandiose, building a huge, empty stage where the vocals resonate with intense feeling. It’s cinematic and very captivating, and listeners will definitely fall in love with it.

The song “Song for Frank G” started with a beautiful saxophone melody that will leave your mouth wide open. This song is one that is dedicated to music lovers who enjoy jazz and songs like “Careless Whisper”. The instrumentation is flexible and soothing, similar to that found at any late-night jazz session, with the vocals being delivered in a conversational tone.

“I Like it (shobedobedo)” begins with an upbeat brass section and finger-snapping beat that changes the tone of the album right away. This is unabashed praise for the way music inspires joy. The lyrics are straightforward and rhythmic, with emphasis placed on enjoying a song. The music is full of playful sounds and percussion to the point where one cannot help but respond physically.

Next up is 0The Phunk Fusion (With a P.HD.)” song, which starts with a lovely piano melody followed by a guitar line going down the scales as it reminds us of the funk essence of the 80s clubs. The theme of the track is the intellectualization of the beat and groove when funk becomes not just something one feels but also something he understands from a scientific point of view. Musically, the sound is extremely dense and complicated with synths and samples used in an incredible way, and the rhythmic vocals of the artist.

The song “Such Desire 2” starts with an atmospheric drone, which gradually transforms itself into a mesmerizing beat. It’s this upbeat melody that you can tap your foot to. The overall atmosphere of the song is very light and beautiful. The melody doesn’t change much in the song; I can assure you with great certainty that it is not boring in any way at all. This is a song that you can vibe to and enjoy

“Let me be the one 2” is a bare-bones remake that begins with the pure sound of an electric guitar, along with background noises from the studio. This version highlights the essence of the appeal in the song by removing all the gloss to show how true the song’s structure is and C’batch’s commitment to making atmospheric sounds and melodies that tell a story even when there are no lyrics. There is nothing fancy in the music here, and there is so much vulnerability in the instrumentation.

“Round & Round (Alternate Version 2) begins with a reversal of the eerie synth buildup in the intro, which causes confusion and then leads to an interpretation of the original rhythmic elements with a much slower pace and heavier sound.  The theme of the song remains the same as the original. This rendition of the theme brings out its dark side, putting more focus on fatigue and not so much on motion. The music itself is dense and muddy, immersing the listener in the circle of the song.

“Just Into You” starts with a nice, soft guitar melody before evolving into a soft, rolling bassline that has a pulsating quality similar to that of the human heartbeat. In this version, the feeling of fragility. It begins with a reversal of the eerie synth buildup in the intro, which causes confusion and then leads to an interpretation of the original rhythmic elements with a much slower pace and heavier sound. This rendition of the theme brings out its dark side, putting more focus on fatigue and not so much on motion. The music itself is dense and muddy, immersing the listener in the circle of the song.

“Just Into You (Alternate 3)” proves itself to be the most thoughtful development of the song. The song begins with a clear metallic sound of a studio guitar being tuned, a genuine “behind the scenes” moment, before transitioning into a soft, muted rhythm of a beating heart. In terms of its meaning, this track departs from the earlier infatuation or victory by placing the listener on a new level of realization and acceptance. The key element of the musicality is its austerity; the song is produced in its simplest form in order to allow the warmth of the vocal delivery to shine through its purity and clarity.

The song “Are You There? (Alternate Version 2)” begins with a lone, reverberating piano sound that is much more tactile and humane compared to the electronic-based one of the first version. The existential questions raised through the sound find their place in a more tangible space, and the silence of the song seems heavier. The music is minimalistic and carefully chosen, and the performance of the vocals reminds one of the confessions of despair.

In “Song for Frank G (Alternate Version),” the song begins with the sound of room tone and guitar strings being casually strummed. In this song, the concept of legacy is approached with more ease, where the music comes off as more dialogue than an arranged composition. In this piece, there are no saxophone sounds like in the original; it is still very enjoyable and worth listening to.

“Let Me School You (Alternate Version)” begins with an upbeat trumpet sound, digitized drum beat, and a tough and electronic bassline that matches the “Rough” side of the album completely. The saxophone makes a comeback in this song, and this makes it very different from the original. The lyrics transform into an inspirational lesson on how one should have the strength and knowledge within oneself. The music is very dynamic, employing a confrontational production style, making the listener bolder and ready for action, thus representing the boldest moment on the entire record.

“Love in the P.M. (Alternate version)” ends the record on the soothing note of ambient music and a violin melody. The way the song is structured is not in the conventional way; it turned out so great and showed us that C’batch is very good at what he does. Musically speaking, the record has a fluid jazz vibe with the vocals being laid-back, resulting in leaving the listener in a fully satisfied state, but yearning for more and hoping that the song or the album won’t end.

This work is nothing short of an astounding lesson in sonic development, seamlessly bringing together the past and present. This is an exceptional feat, paying due reverence to the emotional sanctity of the original recording while taking it to realms hitherto untouched. As C’batch rightly puts it, “This project is all about exploring unfinished concepts and allowing them room to breathe.” There is definitely something magical going on here; while some of these songs might have started as instrumental pieces, what makes these pieces unique is that they have a language all their own – a language which transcends words entirely, communicating in a way that is telepathic in nature. This album serves as unequivocal evidence that great music doesn’t always have to come in the form of songs that have lyrics to give it weight; all you need is the genius behind the piece. I challenge every individual who loves art to delve into the mysteries of the mind of C’batch. He is, undoubtedly, a man driven by vision, and I am lucky enough to be looking forward to working with him again.

Stream “The Vault 1 (C’batch Smooth / Rough)” on Spotify

Follow C’batch here for more information.

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