Artist Spotlight: Bryce Vine
An introduction to the platinum-selling artist, whose new record – ‘Motel California’ – is out today.
Coverage of Motel California and Bryce Vine was pitched to me; if you’d like to request that I cover an artist on GAY POP, I’m currently accepting submissions.
Motel California is more of a roadtrip than an album; an easygoing cruise down the PCH soundtracked by sun-soaked melodic rap. It’s as easy to enjoy as ice cream or Aperol Spritz: sweet, summery and altogether perfect for the hotter months.
It’s another notch in Vine’s belt. After a commercial breakthrough with platinum-selling hits like ‘Drew Barrymore’ and ‘La La Land’ – each of which boast nine-digit streams on Spotify – his penchant for straddling the lines between hip-hop, pop and alternative music has only grown. Motel California, then, is not only a love letter to his upbringing in the States, it also reflects an artistic maturity that’s unprecedented (but, of course, is welcome).
First and foremost, though, the record is just interested in showing you a good time. From the pun-laden wordplay of ‘JANE FONDA’ to the schoolyard chants peppered across ‘Good Days (This Thing Called Life)’, Vine’s able to flex both nostalgic and tongue-in-cheek facets of his personality, and the results are incredibly successful.
Aside from Vine’s versatile voice – which flits between breathless rap passages and emotive sung parts – the standout instrument on Motel California is undoubtedly the guitar. That most quintessential of Californian sounds, the electric guitar slices through the latter half of the title track and provides a Valhallan backdrop to the opening of ‘RIGHT THERE’, before eventually giving way to chopped samples and lithe, summery percussion.
The record’s most interesting moment is on the Brittney Spencer-featuring ‘Rocky Mountain’, where the melody finger-picked guitar recalls Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Landslide’. It’s a nice breather before the track explodes into a cavernous stomp’n’holler number, showcasing both the breadth of Vine’s range and the cohesion of the whole project. Every track sounds like it’s from the same sun-kissed world, where the stakes are low and the vibes are high. Are you coming for the ride?
Motel California is out now via DK Records.