Both subtly and intensely, Cian Ducrot has just released one of the most powerful ballads of recent times with Crocodiles.

Firstly, it’s one thing to embrace the feeling and air of jazz. Especially in hip-hop and soul, jazz influences have been more prominent than ever. What those songs usually embrace are the emotion given in jazz, that raw, passionate embrace of musicality and harmony. Cian Ducrot’s newest single absolutely has those elements, and it doesn’t take a jazz veteran to recognize it. What I find especially admirable with Crocodiles is that he goes beyond just the vibe, the entire song is surrounded by a very modern twist on jazz. The chords are all well over three tones, and their progression from one to another is very similar to traditional pop, or vocal jazz. The classic V-I’s, the key changes, everything’s here. There was something incredibly reminiscent of that old school type of music that felt too real throughout the entire song. There’s a moment where, if I can get nerdy here for a second, Cian Ducrot uses a descending chromatic melody that's fully harmonized, over the regular chord progression, but giving so much different context to those chords. It’s ballsy, if I can be crass, but he did it so wonderfully, it just warmed my little nerd heart. This whole song is warming, despite the lyrical content being cold, which creates this nice contrast, like sitting by a hot fire on a chilly autumn night. Ducrot does an amazing job bringing the song down, only to propel it forward into the stratosphere. It’s a hard feat to pull, but the artist makes it sound absolutely natural and effortless. I especially appreciate the a capella segments of the song, specifically towards the end, as the song comes to a close before the last, epic chorus, kicking a beat late in a giant swoop. It’s a display of musicianship that is very rare, especially in this day and age. 

Crocodiles is a song that can be enjoyed by everyone, having something for just about every listener. One might appreciate the softness of his voice, or the exciting choruses, or the complex harmony. Regardless, there’s an objective nature to Cian’s genius that is displayed beautifully in Crocodiles.

Author: Nicholas Gaudet

Music producer and writer from Dieppe, Canada.