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Cj Washington Love Songs & Low Pass Filters Review by Gary Hill This EP features some solid tunes. The basic concept here lands along the lines of pop music and R&B. I have to say that the synthetic processing here is a little heavy for my tastes. That's true overall, but particularly on a couple songs. Then again, it's sort of par for the course in this musical style these days. I just have a hunch that music featuring it will not have a timeless quality and seem very dated in the near future. But, I digress. The songs here are catchy, and this is entertaining with some minor reservations. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023 Volume 1. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review

Upside Down Keyboard sounds start the song and EP. This has a cool soul groove to it. The vocals are a little too produced for my tastes, but the vibe and energy make it work well, anyway.

Thru 2 U The arrangement on this is rich and dense. The song has a classic modern R&B sound. While this is also overproduced for me, they work better than those on the opener.

Him The processing on the vocals here seems more used for effect at moments. It works better like that. This has more of a electronic vibe. It seems more artsy. Yet it's still well rooted in soulful sounds. As solid as the first two were, I think the chances taken here make this one stand taller.

Raindrops Now, this one is even more processed. It doesn't really work that well for me partly for that reason. Secondly, it just feels too much like "more of the same." Taken by itself, though, I'm sure it would avoid that second part and work better.

Waitin on Love I dig the percussive nature of this piece. That and the fact that the processing seems more sparingly used for effect and this is more effective. The rich and layered vocal arrangement is a nice touch, too.

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