Kinga – Something’s Gotta Give
Deliberately built to induce a bit of tension right from the moment we press play forward, the beat behind the verses in Kinga’s new single “Something’s Gotta Give” is the undisputed centerpiece of the track. While the words are enrapturing and do a good job of spotlighting one of the more significant emotions we can encounter in a hedonistic existence, Kinga has made it so that none of the verses they form would be nearly as weighty were they not backed by the hesitant groove. The bass line was made to move a mountain and a half, and here, it gets the chance to do this beside one of the sleeker synth melodies I’ve heard in a while.
The lyrics in “Something’s Gotta Give” are constructed around the hook instead of the other way around, but this isn’t to suggest the presence of some pop artificiality unbecoming of an alternative pop cut. On the contrary, I think that the only real alt element in the mix is the sway of the percussion in the backdrop, which is both subtle but sturdy enough to make the vocal sound all the more potent when we need it the most. Kinga isn’t stingy about giving us new wave-esque instrumental indulgence where others would hold back, and that’s part of the reason why I’ve been as fascinated with his output as I have been lately.
Fluidity is essential to making a good vocal sound truly great, and in the case of “Something’s Gotta Give” we get a crooning from Kinga that never sounds stuffed into an uncomfortable box. The mix is tight enough as it is, compressing part of the low-end tones with the percussion to leave maximum space for our singer to strut up top, and he has no issues utilizing every inch of it with a warm, inviting vocal becoming of a pop veteran.
Instrumentally, this track is a fair balance of vibrant rhythm and fanciful melodic ribbonry, and I particularly like that nothing sounds recycled from another corner of the music industry. Although Kinga has never said as much, I think he’s been committed to staying on the sharper end of the spectrum since first dropping his debut back in the ‘80s, and in a performance like that which we get in “Something’s Gotta Give,” he reasserts himself as a non-establishment player who can deliver the best parts of mainstream musicianship without any of the plasticity that frequently plagues the FM dial.
Kinga once again proves that he sports as strong a songwriter’s wit as they come in this most recent single, and if you have the chance to give it a spin this April I think you’re going to be very pleased with what he’s produced. There wasn’t a lot of good news in pop music to report on in 2022, whether about scenes or the dramatic uptick in streamlined song craft, but sifting through the darkness to find a little bit of light on the other side is precisely what makes this man’s song craft so easy to get into. He’s added another fine track to his discography here, and I think other critics and fans will agree.
Check out Kinga’s official website by clicking here.
