Gabriel (Standard Vinyl)

keshi(読み:ケシ)はテキサス州ヒューストン出身のシンガーソングライター。ベトナム人の両親のもとで育った彼は、12歳の頃に祖父が持っていた音楽の本に影響を受け、インターネットを使ってギターの弾き方を独学で学ぶ。テキサス大学オースティン校で看護学の理学士号を取得後、看護師としての仕事に就いていたが、その傍ら自身の楽曲をオンラインでシェアしていた。ほろ苦いメロディー、失恋を嘆く歌詞、ふらふらとしたローファイなヒップホップ・ビートが特徴的

Having issued an abundance of EPs and singles since 2017, Keshi proves his worth as an album artist with Gabriel. The first full-length from the singer/songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer starts boldly (by his standard) in brash, booming style while also incorporating his familiar, feather-light falsetto and breezy acoustic guitar work. After that, the album settles into a refined sequence of sensitive ballads and slow jams that see Keshi gradually coming into his own, his inspirations -- the likes of John Mayer, Frank Ocean, and Bryson Tiller -- not as perceptible. Although its brief for an album, just over half-an-hour in length, Gabriel sounds like a complete and thoroughly considered statement. ~ Andy Kellman