UK-bred, LA-based artist Oliver Malcolm, just three releases into his solo career, is already laying the groundwork for a bright future. Most notably, this comes in the form of “building the world.” In music, the artist projects that last the longest are often those that represent something larger than the sum of their parts – look at Tyler, The Creator, or even Travis Scott. When there’s an intangible beyond the music to grasp onto, you’ve got something special at hand, with possibly no greater example than The Gorillaz, who built their following in the form of cartoon characters, more iconic than the humans behind the music. Tapping into this world for his latest – a new single titled “Kevin” – Oliver Malcolm is continuing to build out his own kingdom, spearheaded by unruly, genre-agnostic anthems like his latest.
Arriving alongside a complementary animated video, Malcolm’s room-commanding personality is turned into cartoon form with this one, as he walks through London with a team of followers behind him, singing along to the infectious, devious chant of the chorus. With each passing note, the listener is brought further into the budding star’s atmosphere of eclectic sounds and undeniable charm, and yet, Malcolm never seems to bend to the attention. Marking perhaps one of his most exciting characteristics, he marches solely to the beat of his own drum, and is creating an entire lane of sound that I’m not sure I’ve heard before. The best part is, these aren’t just great songs; there’s something greater at hand, which is exactly what “Kevin” cements.
Stream Malcolm’s immaculate new single here and watch the animated visuals below!