Faye Minton
RAYE has returned in full force! On 12th October, fans were treated to two new drops from her Escapism./The Thrill Is Gone. EP. One of the titular singles, The Thrill Is Gone., is a nostalgic yet painfully current exploration of a dying spark.
The new track draws inspiration from a range of genres and techniques, in yet another demonstration of RAYE’s artistic dynamism.
Spoken Words
Firstly, the spoken word-style rap in the verses inadvertently remind us of the Lily Allen/Kate Nash era, famous for lyrics that clearly and realistically convey a story as if it were being told to a friend. It’s refreshing to hear lyrics we can identify with, making it a genuinely enjoyable listen rather than being a tear-jerker. RAYE has mobilised rap and spoken words before, perhaps most notably on Hard Out Here., which had a slightly angrier and sassier tone than these storytelling, ballad-esque verses.
“an excruciatingly modern problem that can be incredibly tough to navigate”
The line “My boy ain’t my boy, but I call him that ‘cause it feels better” depicts an experience common to our generation. Having a connection with someone but not sharing the label is an excruciatingly modern problem that can be incredibly tough to navigate. This being positioned as the second line helps RAYE accurately set a scene, introducing the song’s melody and key themes with an undisputable realness from the offset.
RAYE continues with “Court case last Monday, but he buss trial so I feel better”, another light-hearted moment which allows her personality to smile through.
Love Interest
“calls on astrology and new-age spirituality”
Later in the track, after explaining the pain of losing a connection with somebody special, she expands to describe her love interest. “He’s a Leo sun, a Leo moon, and a Leo rising”, she shares. Here, RAYE calls on astrology and new-age spirituality to communicate his extravagant nature, and perhaps his need to be in control of situations. Again, she uses relatable cultural references to build a direct bridge to her audience, ensuring a relationship has developed with those listening.
However, this is all underpinned by a soulful and traditionally R&B instrumental, combining different eras to create something unique. The chorus builds on this theme as RAYE repeats “the thrill is gone”, with a beautiful vibrato accentuating “gone”. Her vocals are incredibly authentic and come from her with ease.
B.B King
The repetition of the phrase and its use in the song’s title is most likely a nod to blues icon B.B. King, who made famous a song of the same name in 1969. King’s version also depicts a loss of love, and the pain and loneliness that we associate with a natural flame being extinguished. RAYE’s updating of the single guides King into the twenty-first century, honouring him and introducing his art to the new generation that she’s built a bond with.
“this replicates the very human process of overthinking”
The bridge and last chorus are arguably the most passionate part of the song. RAYE uses it to showcase her vocals, projecting and letting loose to release pent-up emotion. The more casual air from earlier is dropped, and the track associates itself far more with B.B King’s pain than Lily Allen’s girlie chat. In a way, this replicates the very human process of overthinking – she was calm and carefree talking her experience through until the gravity of her sadness caught up with her.
Fans’ Reaction
The Thrill Is Gone. has been received well by fans, particularly after RAYE performed it live on Later with Jools Holland last week. Its contrast to her other new releases (like its club anthem predecessor Black Mascara.) is exciting and shows a whole new edge to RAYE’s ability.
Thankfully, there’s still far more to look forward to from RAYE. She recently announced the title of her new album, My 21st Century Blues. From this, it’s fair to assume we can get excited for much more of the same cross-generational art, updating traditional concepts to prove that human emotion is timeless, even if we express it differently at different points in history.
In the meantime, you can listen to The Thrill Is Gone. here.
Featured image courtesy of Artem Bryzgalov on Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image license found here.
Faye Minton
Faye is a former Empoword Editor in Chief and an MA International Journalism student at Swansea University.