July

Nothing Like the Rain in July

July ft Drake by Jhené Aiko

Recommended by Deja

"My birthday is in July so this song spoke to me."

This song is beautiful.

Aiko's voice is lovely and sweet, and it perfectly embodies the wistfulness of the lyrics. The harmonies, too, are so light that they give the song an ethereal vibe. Even if I didn't understand the words, the music alone portrays a sense of subtle sadness and a hint of fondness.

The lyrics tell the story of a summer fling that ended too soon, almost before it began. Drake's verses make up the narrative, and Aiko's chorus expresses her feelings, missing the warmth of summer. I like the chorus best, with all its poetry and emotion.

It gets a little weird for me at the very end.

I didn't notice it on the first listen because the sound of the song never changes, but the lyrics at the end shift from thoughtful and regretful to I'm too fly for this s***.

Then, stranger still, the last line is I am Japanese if you please.

Um?

Okay.

Anyway, that brings me to my last point. In the background of the track, you hear a repetitive 5-note riff. It's based on a pentatonic scale, which is found all over the world - notably in traditional Japanese music. Perhaps she threw in that last line to tie it all together.

Overview:

Genre:
R&B

Favorite Lyrics:
They always say the hottest love has the coldest end.