Leks Rivers is an exciting new artist who puts a unique twist on classic r’n’b.
Motown and Soul are the biggest influences in his music, having been brought up listening to these genres as a child. Leks is a brilliant lyricist, tapping into personal memories and experiences when writing new material, and has penned a vast amount of his own tracks. This is certainly apparent when visiting his Soundcloud page: 7 original tracks, each with a slightly different vibe about them, giving him wide audience appeal. Labelled ‘Future Soul’, Leks is carving out a musical genre all of his own.
Castaway is a perfect example of Leks’ experimental style. It begins with audio from the 1980 film The Blue Lagoon as a means to set the scene. This film follows the lives of two children who are left shipwrecked on a tropical island and provides the backdrop for the song. The lyrics and baseline coupled with the synth and drum beats certainly conveys the feeling of being washed up on a mysterious tropical beach. The mental image Leks wanted to create was one of endless sun-scorched days spent in paradise with your loved one and with Castaway he’s certainly achieved that.
A similar framework is used in When I’m High: audio from 2008 film The Pineapple Express (a marijuana dealer on the run from hitmen) gives way to Leks’ vocals and a heavy r’n’b baseline. Leks draws comparisons between a drugs-induced high and that from love. The listener is taken on a journey through this song, due to the storytelling feel of the lyrics and the many elements which were brought together in the production.
Dzed Dgital is in my opinion the catchiest song on Leks’ Soundcloud. As the name suggests, it has electro undertones but still retains an overall r’n’b feel: It’s refreshing to hear a piano coupled with electronic sounds and an r’n’b beat. This is a radio-ready track which could put Leks firmly on the map.
The Lordy and Wild remix of Leks’ track High Society displays the versatility of his voice and music. This is a strong house remix which wouldn’t sound out of place in a club on a Saturday night. House music is still riding on the crest of its wave of resurgence so this is an avenue that Leks could potentially explore himself.
Leks is due to release his first single in the near future and 2015 looks set to be the year he takes the charts by storm.
https://soundcloud.com/leksrivers/castaway