The Temptations once warned us that “beauty’s only skin deep.” AR Ferdinand's current single, “Sexy,” serves as a groovy reminder that true beauty only comes from the inside. The cool and utterly soulful vocals of singer/songwriter/producer Justo Ontario glide effortlessly over the modernly retro track, creating a fusion of bounce with subtle hints of jazz and funk that just feel good. The effect of the smooth tune is punctuated by thoughtful lyrics written by Josh Barry describing one whose beauty lacks depth as “a dormant volcano, cool to the core.” We’ve all met these type of people, and it seems society’s hyper-obsession with the physical has created an abundance of outwardly enticing but empty souls.
“The lyrics are truly special for me, it resonates with me as it's something I’ve always thought about attraction,” explains the El Salvadorin producer. “When I first heard the lyrics I knew this was it, I then found Justo and he just smashed it. An amazing performance, I then spent so much time bringing all the elements together as best I could, my perfectionism can be pretty intense, but it gets the job done.” That patience and attention to detail gets the job done indeed, as it took Ferdinand nearly a year to complete “Sexy,” which serves as the second single from his debut album Wild Fiction, due to be released on March 31st.
He recently released a visual to accompany the track he describes as “one of the most versatile songs on the record.” The video is a vibrant, psychedelic take on the song, making the viewer feel as relaxed, and perhaps a bit trippy, as the track itself. With swirling colors, cartoon figures and glimpses of everything from earthy scenery to outer space, one wonders if the visual was meant to mimic the beauty queens and kings we encounter. Visually attractive and stimulating, but you may hurt yourself trying to find a whole lot of meaning behind it.
Keep things simple, and check out the audio and video for “Sexy” by AR Ferdinand featuring Justo Ontario and just enjoy the ride. Stay up all Ferdinand’s moves leading up to his new album on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud, and listen to more music from Ontario on SoundCloud, too.
