Review by Jamie Glenn
After the release of his January of 2018 debut EP titled “Salvatore,” Salvatore Manalo a Vancouver, Washington native returns with his most recent single titled, “She,” an R&B track that expresses an appreciation for a partner.
This track has a healthy awareness of soothing instrumentation alongside lyrics that tell a story like, “I didn’t need it til you saved me, I’m falling faster than you gave me a little reason to desire my ears are burning with the fire..”
The smooth blues and soul sound brought by the bass guitar and low-level electronic pad sound that is heard throughout “She.” The beat overall is a bit complex, yet simple enough for people to mindlessly groove along without much effort. This is the perfect track to have playing in the background while everyday things are happening.
The song would complement a movie scene that depicts that of a rainy day in a European city. It sounds much like the instruments heard in Brandon Watson’s track “Maximum Volume.” This track features Stephanie Kitson, a vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist from Portland, Oregon, who complements the track by offering a soft feminine contrast alongside Manalo’s delivery. Both artists’ sound seamless together, especially at the end of the track. Lyrics like, “ You didn’t know what you gave me / lost in a moment that saved me. / Raise me into something higher / reaching with my entire,” shows that this track was created to build up a healthy relationship.
The lyrical content in this track has a lot of repetition with lyrics like, “ She takes me higher / She sings with fire / she’s my entire reason to untire.” The verse, given the balance of diverse vocal delivery and complex instrumentation balanced throughout the track, is enjoyable to listen to.
Album art can sometimes set the tone for the track it represents. “She” is a perfect example of such representation with its simplistic ocean backdrop. Cover art such as this can demonstrate a more cohesive track as a whole. “She” is a natural progression in Salvatore Manalo’s musical journey, meaning that the future is full of beautiful blues tracks that will draw in the ears of many.
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