Harry Jay gets "Moody"

Originally from Washington DC, R&B/Neo-Soul artist Harry Jay cites legends such as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder alongside Tupac and Nas as some of his biggest inspiration, and I can definitely hear why in his newest single "Moody", a song that I think is a sign of great things to come because what I heard felt really special, and of course, it did, because Harry's a thoroughbred musician who has been living and breathing melodies and songs since he picked up the piano at age 5, mastering both guitar and bass along the way to the Berklee College of Music, where he further polished his skills while studying Jazz Composition (!!) and forming/leading the 7-piece funk orchestra "Harry Jay and the Bling." The band would eventually go on 3 East-coast tours, releasing a top-charted EP on Bandcamp.

Shortly after finishing school, Harry Jay went solo, blending contemporary alt-R&B sounds with neo-soul into amazingly textured soundscapes.

Harry Jay's latest is moody alright, setting the tone right away with cloudy ethereal synths and distant, equally-spectral vocalizations before breaking through that somewhat tense environment with a truly masterful R&B interpretation. The song touches upon themes of romantic obsession and it was written by Harry and his high school friends John Wehmeyer and Jonathon Fogelson who worked together over Zoom during the lockdowns. The track features an amazing vocal collab with Luke Brown.

I've heard some great R&B this year, especially of the "throw-back" variety that sounds closer to how the genre did in the 70s and 80s, meanwhile, Harry Jay sounds both contemporary and timeless, featuring a vocal journey that leans heavily on the more ornate elements of soul and gospel that make up the DNA of the genre. Harry's voice feels pristine and quite impressive, but it's the intensity and diversity of his performance throughout the span of the track that really jumps out as the strongest part of the song.

There's also the musicalization of course, at first seemingly taking its time in creating ambiance through hazy and dream-like synths set to deep thumping bass, but slowly evolving in subtle complexities including some sidereal electric guitar interjections that expand the scope of the track quite a bit into blues and even prog-rock territory. While the song feels like it's going to be a slow burn at first, It quickly dives into a very richly layered melody and a very catchy structure that's nothing if not inviting.

"Moody" has become an instant favorite and a wake-up call not to ever sleep on Harry Jay and Luke Brown. What a song.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born, raised and based. 

I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant  ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work. Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.