Recommended Tracks: “Kaleidoscope,” “Honey,” “Genius”
Artists You Might Like: Thee Sacred Souls, Omar Apollo, Allen Stone
There are artists out there who are inspired by the darkness in their lives. To get through their struggles, they turn to music. The songs they release might end up sounding raw and emotional, echoing the pain in their hearts or the turmoil in their heads. In the end, their music not only helps them cope but helps others who listen cope with their hard times as well. And then there are artists like Otis Kane. Otis is inspired by the highs in his life, using the warmth around him to create lively, radiant tracks. Such tracks can be heard on his second studio album, Violet. The album captures “some of my happiest times,” as Otis has previously shared, enshrouding listeners in positivity and light from start to finish.
The songs on Violet explore the different stages of love, from welcoming it into your life to letting it totally consume you. There are tracks like “Breathe,” which focus on the initial welcoming stage. Here, Otis is infatuated with this other person, desperate to make her his. The pull that she has on him can be heard in lines like, “‘Cause I can’t breathe / Without your love / And I can’t sleep / Without your touch / And I can’t seem / To get you out of my head,” with Otis eagerly waiting for the day “to call you mine.” There is also “Dance With You,” where Otis takes a more physical approach in getting closer to his lover. The feisty beats and funky synth move the track along while also setting the scene. Whether he is inspired by the music or influenced by the power of dance, Otis sings, “Killing me softly / Running me slowly into the ground / I need you in my life,” ready to get out on the dance floor and make a move. If his moves pay off, he might get to a place where he can start a relationship, as he does on “Morning Sun.” Over the bright rhythms and guitar, he shares, “You make my heart beat like the bass drum / You make my soul sing like the morning sun / You make the earth shake like an earthquake / You make the world go round,” completely smitten. However, he is careful not to move too fast, as he still asks for her permission to call on Sunday nights and to hold her – always a gentleman.
You never quite know the hold that relationships or love can have over you. That power can result in complex feelings, feelings that are too crazy to understand. Otis mentions just how crazy he is feeling on the heavenly sounding “Kaleidoscope.” Accompanied by electric guitar, it sounds as if Otis is praying, his soulful voice perfectly blending with the resonant chords. Openly, he sings, “Kaleidoscope baby / You’re driving me crazy / When your soul speaks to me / It’s all I can see,” and admits, “Closer to you every day / I just want to know you in every way / Don’t wanna do life without you / I can be myself around you.” The madness continues on “Honey,” a sweet and easy-going duet with Sugar Jones. Throughout the track, they assume the role of two lovers and disclose how obsessed they are with each other. We get lines like, “It’s so crazy / I want to be with you all day,” “I don’t want to but I crave you,” and “I’ve never had a feeling that was quite like this,” leaning into that bond they share. That bond is so strong that it can be scary. Otis sings about how terrifying it would be if that connection was lost on “Tomorrow,” the anguish coming through in his vocals. He claims that life loses its “magic” when she is not around, and compares the love they have to a type of spirituality, singing, “I know love is full of angels and demons / I thought you were one to believe in.” In the end, he requests, “So please don’t run away, don’t run away / Don’t run away from our love,” wanting things to work out.
When things do work out, you are ready to go all in. This means looking back at all you have, letting go, and embracing what comes next. On tracks like “Scorpio” and “Good Life,” we come across little slices of paradise, as we hear about how rich and beautiful life truly is with love around. All is dreamy and tranquil, summarized in “I don’t wanna spend my life with just anybody / You bring out the best in me / I know you could’ve had anyone / But you chose me” from “Scorpio.” The vibes shift on “Genius,” though, where Otis processes the end of a relationship. The tempo is not as relaxed and the lyrics are not as colorful, setting it apart from the other tracks. Yet, Otis congratulates his skill in leaving the relationship and concludes, “Sometimes things were made to let go.” With the past out of the way, he can finally indulge in his feelings. On the concluding “Wanna Love You,” he wears his heart on his sleeve. He is very happy with his person and claims, “I just wanna love you, girl!” Its spirit is infectious and captures the true essence of the album.
All in all, Violet takes listeners on a journey – a journey full of love, joy, and elation. Whether Otis is getting acquainted with love, feeling its crazy ways, or fully embracing all it has to offer, he is putting it all out there for others to feel. When describing the album, he had mentioned, “This album is an evolution. We’re always evolving still. I think I’ve found a way to enjoy and create with almost zero pressure. I hope you get the same joy and love I get from music.” Not only will listeners experience this evolution, but they will also get to take in the positive qualities of each melody, each falsetto line, each downbeat… Ultimately, they will get to bask in the sunshine that each track emits and experience the splendors from them that Otis did in creating them.
Keep up with Otis Kane: Instagram // Facebook // X // TikTok // YouTube // Website
