The musical approach that REGALJASON applies to his new single, Ascend, feels expansive in the styles and inspiration deployed. R&B stylings meet art-pop vocals in a way that lands right at the intersection of Miguel, Autre Ne Veut, and the Dirty Projectors.
Born in Jamaica, raised in Panama and now in London following a stint in LA, REGAL channels the sounds he has absorbed along the way. Ascend is REGAL’s first release of 2023, and sees him throw down an inspirational song about rising above the adversity he has faced along the way:
“As an independent artist, I face many obstacles in my journey to let my voice be heard. When releasing my debut EP Megafauna, besides writing, producing, directing, and more, I also had to monitor the data, a task I found to be in opposition to my artistic process. Constantly checking figures such as likes, streams, and views, among other things, took a toll on my creativity. I also found it hard to find my footing in the digital arena especially with my sound being heralded as genre-less and inventive. ASCEND is my response to the emotions I felt during this time. I had to make a choice to own my individuality and promise myself that I will continue the climb regardless of the “figures” that might tell me otherwise.”
The result is something of a triumph — if REGALJASON felt the pressure to define a sound that is uniquely his, whilst also finding an audience, I can’t help but feel like Ascend delivers in spades. Drums punctuate REGAL’s lyrical flow with a sense of determination, as distorted, thick bass creates a building drama. The result is thrilling, artful, and confident as hell.