Joe Hertz has made a career of attracting some of the world’s most unique vocalists to perform overtop the foundation of his clean production. Compared to SG Lewis and Mura Masa throughout his canon, the lines drawn are true in nature. Inspired by jazz and low-fidelity perfectionism, his beats – often-laced with instrumental breakdowns – are the perfect rails for particularly strong vocalists to ride. And fervent in his own sound, London’s Kaleem Taylor is the perfect collaborative partner for Hertz with One Sided. 

 

Fond of an immeasurable range and a knack at exploring emotion with more honesty than anyone else in soul and R&B, Kaleem Taylor has exploded onto the scene this year with the release of his Surface. One Sided is more upbeat, but equally emotional in stature to Kaleem’s signature sound, and his ability to so seamlessly coincide with Hertz’ instrumentation is a testament to both. 

 

One Sided is an exploration of unequal and unrequited love. Without taking it all too seriously and enjoying some fun and danceability, Kaleem Taylor and Joe Hertz unearth a sense of overcoming and prosperity even amongst the difficulties. More than anything, One Sided is just the latest from two artists that have been on absolute tears in 2019, moving towards the future with overarching influence on the greater neo-soul, R&B, jazz, and electronic circuits.