Review: He Won’t Hold You – Jacob Collier (feat. Rapsody)
- by Nicholas Gaudet
- in Reviews
The three singles that have been released prior to Jacob’s newest offering, He Won’t Hold You, have been absolutely stellar to say the least.
Time Alone with You felt like a sequel to his previous album’s Feel, a sort of laid-back groovy R&B track with the modern legend Daniel Caesar. In My Bones was a hyperactive funk power-track, filled with electric intricacies, grooving bass lines and Jacob rapping (albeit with his voice pitched up)! Lastly, All I Need felt like Jacob’s take on a summer pop anthem – it’s exciting, uplifting, and rises in steps both dynamically, sonically, and literally (the song shifts to a half-sharp key, which is non-existent on a piano). All those have been gifts, but there was one thing missing – a classic Jacob Collier ballad. While he feels the most comfortable in his groovy funk-jazz anthems, Jacob’s inner beauty shines the most in his ballads, such as Make Me Cry, and Hideaway. Jacob Collier previously disclosed that Djesse Vol. 3 would be an exploration of beat, electricity, hip-hop and negative spaces, which is a tell-tale sign that the upcoming album will be filled with these sorts of funky tracks. After hearing this single, a true and proper Jacobian ballad, Djesse Vol. 3 has cemented itself to absolute greatness, with what might become the greatest album of 2020.
The song opens with Jacob’s signature acapella harmonies, singing the lyrics “He won’t hold you/ Like I used to” over and over again, using that as a basis for the song’s structure. The melody and harmony are heard consistently across all the sections. While the song feels very close at heart in its first moments, the production opens up wider than an ocean with the melodious percussions, and sweeping synth and piano that carry the song like a boat on a calming wave. Jacob’s verse enters, sounding like anyone but Jacob in what sounds like a welcomed imitation. The chorus opens up even wider, and will surely give goosebumps to even the most closed off listeners. You can hear all the imperfections, most likely very deliberately inserted or left alone by the genius himself, such as Jacob whispering “Sing it again” ever-so softly before a few verses. Then comes Rapsody’s verse. The moment her voice enters, the user will be automatically frozen up in place. When she speaks, you listen. Her spoken-word performance is as mesmerizing as the entirety of the composition. Words cannot do justice to the emotion she spills on the track, but every listen will absolutely bring on the same effect she gave listeners on their first time experiencing her verse.
He Won’t Hold You is a treasure, pure and simple. In a desperate time in need of healing, with the pandemic and social injustices, this ballad will warm the coldest hearts, and break the toughest stones. Even though it has a runtime that might be a bit too long for what it intends to do, this track is an absolute must listen for all human beings, despite their taste in music. It’s cross-generational, and breaks boundaries of genres established through years of history.
