Esquire - I Wish You Were Here | Track-by-Track Listen
Esquire - I Wish You Were Here
Canada native Esquire has decided to follow up his Late February two-pack with his aptly titled I Wish You Were Here project; a collection that is unmixed and unmastered, containing songs that have been “sitting on his laptop for years.” The seemingly rushed effort is due in part because of the turbulent year that has been 2020. Time isn’t guaranteed. These songs needed to be shared and in a world where we are practicing social distancing, maybe they’ll bring us closer together.
Apartheid (feat. Zain Zulu) - Remembered I have to turn up my audio interface for this one. A lot of energy on this one. The production is dark. Can I get my hands on this one to mix? The bass alone is murderous. I’m not familiar with this skit, might have to ask about it. At just over 3 minutes, it feels too short. I’m definitely going to have to revisit this one. It’s a great start to this 11-track album. I have to remember to come back and research Zain Zulu.
Stay With Me (Interlude) - Now this is the Esquire that I’m familiar with. Warm, soft vocals layered to great effect. At just a minute, there’s not much time to dig into this one.
Rush Hour - The production is turning to a lighter note, a great change of pace. This has the versatility of being played overseas but also being featured on store and restaurant playlists.
Silver Surfer (feat. Rodney) - Another familiar feature. Rodney is also a Canada native hailing from Toronto who has solidified a spot on this website prior. Esquire raps so fluidly on the verses while Rodney handles the hooks with effortless effect. The production is accessible, fitting into the same mold as the previous two offerings.
La Familia - Very hip-hop-esque production. I like to see this side of Esquire. He has a familiar, but at the same time, fresh rapping voice. No hooks here – verses separated by skits. I’ll have to revisit these verses. I feel like I missed some bars, buried like gems.
4 the Bad Ones (Interlude) (feat. UAX & Zain Zulu) - The atmosphere and the haunting “what are you going to do when they come for you” reminds me of the pandemic predicament that we are all finding ourselves in.
Off White - I don’t know where this sample is from but the way it was chopped creates a nice swing. I love a song that progresses in its drums. Does Esquire have enemies? I just want to know who he’s been talking to in these last few songs. I like the way he manipulates the pronunciation of his words to make them fit to his message.
Loaded Die (feat. 73v1nn) - I assume you pronounce his name as “seven”? 73v1nn starts off the song here over an unsettling atmosphere. He’s spilling a lot of thoughts here, whether it’s personal to him or fitting the grander scheme of things. Another note on the production of this assembly of offerings, a lot of these beats would have fit in the 90s era; begging for a story to be told on top of them. Again, no definable hook on this song. I think it plays into the feeling of urgency Esquire here.
Alpha Romeo - Diamond Life Reprise - Energy! Esquire wastes no time vomiting verbiage. The song doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. It ends as quickly as it began.
Lately - A lot of African influence on this one; tribal at it’s core. I think we’re getting the best of both sides of Esquire with this project. He’s encapsulated both his singing and rapping abilities in a way that not many rapping-singing artists are able to showcase. I think I’m also able to tell the age of these songs based off of the sonics of his vocal effects. We’re able to get a peek into his artistic growth and development. This would be a great introductory project for anyone new to Esquire.
Secrets (feat. Zain Zulu) - Three features on an 11-track project is quite the accomplishment. By far the lengthiest offering at just over four minutes. I didn’t know how to feel about this song until that second verse kicked in; again a progression in drums and tempo. These vocal effects are impressive: intertwined vocals swimming in reverb laced with an accompanying guitar. I really love this outro. I thought it was going to be cut short but it was just the ending this album needed.
I feel I didn’t do some of these songs justice in my writing but with 11 tracks, this project on lives with you for 29 minutes and to stay true to what this Track-by-Track Listen series is supposed to be, I tried to take note as I was listening with no pauses or rewinds. If you need something to hold you over during this quarantine, I Wish You Were Here will have something for every emotion you’re going through in isolation. You can stream I Wish You Were Here on Apple Music and Soundcloud.