Crayon – Home Safe (2025)
French producer Crayon’s new album, Home Safe, is an intimate and philosophical project for right now. The album’s sound is grounded in the tradition of trip-hop, and here this dark and funky music gets melded with orchestral strings and various elements of pop production. Starting out as jam sessions with musician friends, Crayon attempted to shape the songs into something more personal. This began when the popular producer retreated to his childhood home on the outskirts of Paris, for personal reasons, and there, over four years started to mould his debut.
On Home Safe, the producer creates moment after moment for introspection through sparse structures and with the help of reflective lyrics from guest rappers and singers. ‘Procrastination’, a track of mainly a thumping bass and drumbeat, with minimal spacey synth effects, is enough to get you dancing while delighting in singer Zefire’s Maxwell-inspired performance, as he seductively speaks on self-acceptance of so-called bad traits.
Crayon’s ear for non-traditional arrangements for hip-hop-esque beats comes in more as the album progresses. On ‘Kill Your Idols’, strings rev up along synths, as crooner Lossapardo belts, “There’s no one to guide me no more”, enhancing the singer’s existential dread. Lossapardo’s words sound like the truth for many nowadays. His mix of relief and fear fills up the track, and Crayon and Serge Hirsch’s bright but melancholic orchestral additions make the song even more human.
Very shortly after, Crayon blends again. With adventurous drumming and 808s together with acoustic guitar and circling pop synth arpeggios, he provides guest singer anaiis, the sound of yearning. On ‘Feelings Don’t Rest’, her soulful riffs and raw expression wrapped me up in her desire for the need for familiarity.
‘Diamond Miner’ is the fullest song. Reminiscent of Portishead, this track is sexy, yet anguish floats all over. English singer, ELIZA, sounds convincing as she critiques greed with a sultry essence. The critique sits well because it comes from true concern and wonderment in her voice, about the costs of exploitation.
At times, songs can feel like demos, due to length and lack of direction, probably influenced by jam sessions. ‘Midnight Blues’ is a three-part song that lacks purpose, and ‘Cristaux Liquides’ doesn’t venture from its simple composition.
Beyond Crayon’s talent for production, his collaborative instincts are the driving force for the album. Lassapardo returns at the end for ‘Exposed’, a laid-back neo-soul track, where Lassapardo’s reflection on the struggles of maturing is the most vulnerable and honest song.
Crayon and guests make the music memorable through minimalism and honesty. Through the sound of solitude, which here leads to expression, these musicians showcase the beauty of introspection and of their inner worlds.
Find out more about Crayon on his Bandcamp, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Nightswim Agency.
Listen to more soul music on The Other Side Reviews Soul playlist:
