by Bradi Breckman <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When summer rolls around, I always find myself leaving behind rock and alternative albums which hold the heaviness of the cold months, and beginning to play lighter pop, folk, and R&B records which feel at home in the hot sun. Local artist CEC\u2019s Free Burn <\/em>fits into the latter category and is the perfect soundtrack for evening commutes with the windows rolled down or for boozy backyard bonfires. The EP blends elements of R&B, pop, Latin, rock, and jazz music to create a satisfying musical concoction. There\u2019s something on the EP for every listener, and CEC delivers it all with impeccable vocals and skilled guitar instrumentals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Free Burn <\/em>hooks the listener by opening with its best song. \u201cSabrosa\u201d is a deliciously sensual Latin R&B song. The lyrics are simultaneously romantic and lustful, with lines that tell a story of deep infatuation with the promise of a steamy drunken hookup. Yet the words are admiring rather than objectifying, complicating the classic one-night-stand narrative. CEC\u2019s vocals are relaxed through the flirtation and give the song a layer of intimacy that many tracks of similar subject matter lack. CEC\u2019s swayable rhythm and classically romantic guitar progressions also contribute to the flirtatious nature of the song, and its overall success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the second track \u201cHow Should I (Love You)\u201d CEC attempts a new style in collaboration with Edson Sean. This turn towards a more classic R&B\/pop hybrid is well-executed if not innovative. The track falls a bit flat simply because the Auto-Tuned intro and basic lyrics present the qualities of many songs that have been made before. While CEC and Sean sound excellent and blend their voices into beautiful harmonies and cannons, the song has little new to offer in its lyrics or production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The same cannot be said about the single \u201cWet Paint\u201d, which is more unique to CEC. It is intimate and sweet and paints a picture of a relaxed Sunday morning spent swaying in the kitchen with a lover. Unlike the flirty lines in \u201cSabrosa,\u201d the lyrics of \u201cWet Paint\u201d are romantic and domestic, and CEC\u2019s hypnotizing voice carries them with sureness and skill. A steady drum beat backs the vocals, making it one of few songs on the EP that prioritizes percussion over strings (though the strings are played as skillfully as ever). <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWaste a Minute\u201d continues the intimacy of \u201cWet Paint\u201d but gives it a soulful and jazzy groove. The soft vocals and jazz influence on the track remind me of contemporary pop\/jazz artist Laufey. The song is well put together and, toward the end, is briefly interrupted by a sweet spoken-word sound clip from someone close to the artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In \u201cBe Good,\u201d CEC showcases their angelic high vocal range in repeating simple melodies. The song is slow and pleading as the speaker begs to be a part of all that is good in the world. The calming guitar progressions and light vocals make this song the most \u201ceasy listening\u201d track of the EP. It is well-composed and very vulnerable, which will draw many listeners to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In short, Free Burn<\/em> is an excellently composed EP. The track sequencing appears to have been strategically thought out, bookended by the two songs which are the most likely crowd pleasers \u2014 \u201cSabrosa\u201d and \u201cLove Me.\u201d The latter is a unique blend of pop, rock, R&B, and Latin. It features interesting instrumentals, with creative guitar riffs and drum sounds which resemble hand-held percussion. CEC taps into their higher register once again and delivers lyrics of enamoured romance with ease. The song writing is basic, but it is effective enough for a danceable earworm. The upbeat song lets listeners leave the album happy and satisfied, with a little groove in their step. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, this is a fantastically executed album with many unique elements and a cohesive sound. CEC\u2019s vocals, heartfelt and intimate lyrics, and genre-blending skills stand out on this album. This summer, CEC is playing at Rainbow Trout Music Festival, touring across Canada with HAVS and will also be performing covers in the next \u201cBands as Bands\u201d show in August. I highly recommend that everyone listen to their album and check out one of their shows this summer!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bradi Breckman When summer rolls around, I always find myself leaving behind rock and alternative albums which hold the heaviness of the cold months, and beginning to play lighter pop, folk, and R&B records which feel at home in the hot sun. Local artist CEC\u2019s Free Burn fits into the latter category and is the perfect […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13161"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13163,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13161\/revisions\/13163"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ckuw.ca\/stylus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}