mixtape maestro (2.0)

Ready to be introduced to some white chocolate heaven? How about a collaboration between Daniel Merriweather and Adele? That’s right, the two old soul-reminiscent vocalists have paired together for “Water and a Flame”, a goosebumps-inducing break-up lament (off of Merriweather’s upcoming Love and War) with the potential to one day rank among the great male/ female duets of R&B yesteryear.

A moaning, soul-baked soundbed sets an effectively rueful tone in support of the duo’s separate accounts of a post-relationship suffering. It’s been a week since the two have been apart and, unsurprisingly, neither have fully gotten eachother out of their respective systems.

Daniel can’t go an hour without the memory of his ex penetrating his brain, and when he finally relents and decides to phone her, he’s harshly met with an “ignore” response. “I’d settle for a busy tone/ At least by that I’d know you’re okay”, he sings. Meanwhile on the other side of town, Adele has holed herself alone in her house for days, and she’s only moved to venture outside by the promising comforts of alcohol to help “forget (his) name”. Unfortunately, in the midst of her trek to the local pub, a Daniel doppelganger sighting only triggers her depression anew.

When the two finally join on the final chorus to entwine their tear-stained cries of heartache, the thunderous vocal harmony displayed feels like magic, perfectly landing the song’s expected heightened conclusion.

Breathtakingly brilliant.

DL: “Water and a Flame”