Despite its title Color Blind, the debut EP from Creative Theory is an explosion of vibrant hues and harmony. Born Richard Singleton II, as a multi-talented artist, he has crafted an experience that appeals to every one of our senses. While the project was constructed as part of a music video anime series, each element can be enjoyed on its own or in totality.
We begin our journey into Creative Theory’s world with “Dream Girl,” where he basks in the bliss of his soulmate becoming a reality. We settle all the way in as his voice oozes over the sweet and tender track, before diving into the darker but equally soothing energy of “Mahogany.” The deep and soulful groove is awakened with jubilant, jazzy horns and is completely captivating. This flow continues into “Colors,” a noted favorite of the composer. He says the portrayal of colors as various moods and occurrences embodies his thoughts around life and he describes the fusion of jazz elements as “experimental brush strokes.” With lyrics kept to a minimum, the punctuation of the horns have now become a project staple and we can’t get enough. By now, we are completely entranced, as he slows things down a bit with the spacey “Not Only On Valentine’s,” another largely instrumental track. He rounds things out with the subtle turn-up bop “Black n Mild” featuring rapper King Marino, and our prismatic journey ends on a high note with the introspective and inspirational track “Freedom.” The finale features songstress Demika and is a brilliant reminder to live life on your own terms.
Admittedly, his feature on "Sooner Or Later" from Nicolay’s Lights In The Sky EP served as our first introduction to Creative Theory. Though we weren’t quite sure of what to expect, we are now left with his impressive debut in heavy rotation while we dig for more.
Creative Theory Color Blind [Amazon][Apple Music]
