Switched Up is Oliver Malcolm’s debut single and it is quite a place to start. Having already worked with artists like IDK, Jay Rock and Masego to name a few, the 20 year old has already established himself amongst some well known artists.

It is probably safe to say that if you haven’t already heard of Oliver Malcolm, you certainly will be hearing a lot more of his name over the next few months and years, as the producer is working with the same people that brought us Billie Eilish, we can imagine that there is going to be a lot of hype around future releases. 

With interesting beats, guitar and synths pushing this track from the very beginning, you are hit by originality. The production, as you would expect from someone being touted as the next big thing, is completely unique, with a vocal that crosses all sorts of genres in terms of melody creation, but also delivery style. With loops, strings and overdubs brought in throughout the track, we are treated to something really varied in such a short space of time. The track itself is only 2:26 long, but you don’t feel short changed because of it. The diversity in production and clever use of different instruments playing off each other to provide texture works fantastically well and shows that the creative mind of Oliver Malcolm has the capacity to inspire more and more iconic tunes. 

What is clear with many new artists at the moment is that the norms are being stretched and pushed and creativity is winning through, creating new styles of music that challenge audiences to move from their comfort zones of music listening and this is exactly how it should be. ‘Switched up’ will really appeal to so many people of all different ages. As a debut single goes, this is a very good place to start. 

 R&B 

Author: Phil Arnold

Phil Arnold is a musician, producer and music reviewer from Devon, in the South West of England. Whilst not writing music reviews, Phil also writes and records under the name of Ugbrooke.