A revisit into Marcus Harvey’s, You Don’t Know Me Yet.
Last year as the world went into a global lockdown the music of this Johannesburg native, Marcus Harvey, was released right in time to ease such an overwhelming anxious time of self-isolation by making it feel a lot less lonely. As I went into a phase of self-discovery I stumbled upon this new and socially progressive sound. In his debut album titled, I Am Marcus Harvey, the artist takes his listeners on a kaleidoscope trip with an impressive fusion of R&B and Hip Hop.
The ideal soundtrack for a tranquil afternoon as you enjoy a beautiful sunset of brilliantly saturated hues of red and orange. The Alexandra born rapper and producer gifted us an 11-track album of sonic waves deeply indebted to the psychedelic, loose-limbed percussions and melodies of indie music.
The album gives us a glimpse of who Marcus Harvey is as he reflects on the trials and tribulations he faces as a young South African male artist in “Areyeng”, where he stylized his bilingual lyricism with calming falsettos to create a dreamy sound of which carries an undertone of optimism.
Throughout the body of work, Harvey explores themes of love in “Find Your Love” which he sings alongside artist Zimkithaka, while they serenade us with an endlessly lush midnight groove. Other themes such as lust, and loss are prominent in song titles, “Bona”, “So Into You” and “Alright” with production assistance from Swank, Pimp Push, Shaun Raps, and Spartz.
In search of his own identity and a sense of belonging, Harvey combines many music genres in “Let it Burn”. He loops his voice in a weave of unhinged placid melodies while he skilfully raps about his growth on a reggae beat, inviting his listeners into a psychedelic time warp that ultimately leads them to a spiritual awakening filled with meditative practices and self-awareness.
