Up N’ Down is an incredibly stylish Hip Hop single by Jay Wat with a fresh and spacious modern-day twist. Jay Wat’s performance offers the softness and emotion of a delicate yet experienced leading voice, and the way in which this particular song develops allows those qualities to really shine brightly.
The use of melody on this release is really enjoyable to witness. As stated, the intensity is there, the weight and hit of heavy music connect and satisfy, but there’s also a lot about it that is considerate and gentle. The melody has an alternative sense of emotion that contrasts quite beautifully with the screamo element. The instrumentation is distorted in more of a Hip Hop manner when compared to the average hip-hop release, drawing fresh attention to this particular sub-genre in a masterful and compelling way.
The musicality of the track has much more to it than the average hip-hop beat tends to offer. The opening few moments showcase a fresh use of synths and sounds that seem new yet that effectively still represent the same simplicity when it comes to the chords and notes chosen for the signature riff. What works in the genre has been considered and given a modern-day tweak so as to keep things exciting – reaching out to those audiences who love the sound and realness of hip-hop, but presenting them with something a little left of what’s expected.
That’s the most wonderful thing about this music in some ways, aside from the superb musicianship and skill – the creative freedom of it all. These ongoing audio experiences offer genuine escapism from our day-to-day lives. This piece in particular really transports you to some other place in your mind, making you feel as if you’re right there, soaking up the scenery and the good vibes in a hip hop bar on the other side of town, or the world for that matter. In another instance, however, you could quite easily find yourself surrounded by the soundscape, appropriately standing perfectly still in an open park or field as the sounds and sights of the natural world play out around you. The magic is in the possibility, the freedom of the sound.
Production-wise the song comes through as sharp and well polished, ready for radio, ready to be played at full volume. Structurally the build-up and the fall away contrast and complement each other effectively. Up N’ Down is a great hip-hop track with simple yet relevant and effective sounds, vocals, and melody to accompany it.
