Alicia Keys & Drake and Kick Ass

Today I have music for you by some really great artists. This first song is a collaboration done by Alicia Keys and Drake. I only recently heard this song, but I was completely blown away by it. The first time I heard the song, I had to stop and drink in the song and was left pretty much awestruck. Everything about this song is so beautiful and well put together. The two sound really great together because Alicia Keys is able to bring a softer, gentler sound to the song and Drake provides a calming rap verse and soothing harmonizing background vocals. This is one of my favorite collaborations I have heard. This song is so smooth and dark and sensual. This is one of those songs that makes you feel so many different things at once. The way the music works in this song, I can't help but feel so calm but there is an air of intensity. That adds to this very sensual and lustful sound, and even if you take the lyrics out, you still get that tender but almost steamy sound. I think that actually might be the best way to describe the way this song sounds. It is steamy and gentle, sensual but intense. Alicia Keys offers us her wonderful voice and she explores the upper range a bit. She uses this upper range to create a tense buildup and then retreats to her normal vocal range to bring down the buildup as if it were billowing the way ink disperses when dropped in water. Drake of course is a nice addition not even for his rap skills but more for the base vocal he provides. During the chorus it is almost difficult to pick out his voice, but when you really listen, you can hear it during the supporting vocal portions. Withing the actual verses though, he is clearly heard as a supporting vocalist. This a really different song for Alicia Keys because it is very emotional. This song is a deep emotional confession, a confession of a profound desire. Alicia Keys sounds so vulnerable and sultry with this song and it is very unique in comparison to the other work she has done.  This is a really nice downtempo song with so many elements that make it a seriously sexy song. Besides the vocals, this song features skittering beats, intense piano chord progressions, trembling and tremoring synths, and ethereal drum beats. This is one of the best R&B songs I have ever heard to be perfectly honest. Today's instrumental song is from the movie Kick Ass. While the name of the movie seems to not fit the rest of the song, this piece is absolutely amazing. A lot of times music is only the thing that can really capture a feeling and this piece really does. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!