When songstress Nicole Wray took on the moniker Lady Wray, it came with an undeniable throwback sound that suited the singer’s rich voice quite well. She’s since been delivering music in that vein for more than a decade. But every artist is entitled to a switch-up, and Lady Wray is giving us just that with her newest single “Be A Witness.”
The singer-songwriter turns once again to El Michels Affair, who was also on production duties for her previous single “Best For Us,” to provide the cut’s production. This time around, he blesses her with sampled loops and synths filtered through a lo-fi crackle to create a sound that hints at the ’80s boogie scene but with modern indie soul sensibility. It’s decidedly more upbeat than Lady Wray’s previous outings and set at a tempo that’s sure to get folks dancing.
But she also makes the listening experience a priority as well. She sings to a man whose attention seems to be in high demand. However, she makes the case as to why he should be the one chasing after her. “Take it in, babe / Bring your love to me / Be a witness / See what this can bring,” she sings on the chorus. “Time is tickin’ / Sense of urgency / Be a witness / Bring your love to me.”
This one serves as a treat to tide us over while Lady Wray and El Michels Affair finish up working their magic on her forthcoming album. If the rest of their collaboration is as fruitful as these recent singles, then we are in for quite the experience. Before we get ahead of ourselves, listen to “Be A Witness” right here.
