Scott AF – Under Your Skin EP

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ScottA.F.Music

Scott A.F. is a pop singer/songwriter based out of Oklahoma. On his debut EP, “Under Your Skin,” Scott sets out to put the sort of lyrical content you’d expect to hear from a traditional singer/songwriter against a thump-based rhythm backdrop you’d typically hear in dance music.

There’s no doubt that Scott is an excellent singer with a superb degree of control over his voice. Scott’s voice at times sounds like a cross between Peter Gabriel and Cat Stevens, despite the fact that his electronica-based music genre is quite a bit different than either of those artists.

The EP kicks off with “One Step Away,” which features numerous, fast moving synth layers to counterpoint his vocal performance. While there are some interesting sonic touches here and there, at times the electronic music underlay can be almost too much for the ears to take. The song seems to take on a near video game-like quality in places, and it’s hard to get beyond that.

“Opening Night,” the next song on the EP, puts a modern twist on the R&B genre. The tune has some very nice vocal syncopation with some almost Prince-like qualities at times. The underlying thump of the dance beat, however, is a bit too persistent across the length of the song.

“Save a Little Place,” probably my favorite song on the EP, is a bit less dense synth-wise than some of the other tracks. It features some interesting chord progressions and some pretty catchy vocal melodies and harmonies.

Generally speaking, Scott A.F. is a very gifted musician. His vocal performances are stellar, but in my opinion he goes a few bridges too far with the computer music motif. If he were to mix in some more traditional instruments and orchestration into his music, his songs would lend themselves to a much more enjoyable listening experience.

Purchase Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/under-your-skin-single/id924253660

Bob Lien