The soulful, electronic R&B that Azekel makes has been undergoing a renaissance in the last few years. With Raw, Vol. 1, however, the self-produced singer winnows out a slice of this familiar territory and advances it with a distinctly British sensibility. Not only is Azekel doing all the singing, songwriting, production, engineering, and mastering on Raw, but standout singles like bass-heavy "Chronophobia" and "Mad About the Boy" suggest that there is a quintessentially London R&B sound, and that this, more specifically, is it.
The EP has an intimate, conversational atmosphere. Production flourishes peek out from every corner of the mix, from the purposeful, jolting radio fuzz on early single "New Romance" to the errant sirens and clips of presumably real DJs talking about Azekel on "Late Intro". Interludes like this make the EP sound like a late-night mood mix on the BBC—all vaporous voices and distant chatter over smooth, immersive ambience, crafted to sound incidental.
Raw Vol. 1 has a pretty solid narrative arc for an EP—from roiling statement singles like "Chronophobia" to the reflective closer "Sold My Love". Lyrically, however, Raw favors the oblique, with Azekel singing ingratiating lines ("I've been watching you watch me"; "Sweet love, I've paid my dues") that occasionally feel redundant. The downtempo soul of "Holy Matrimony" provides the best example of the vocal styling that sets Azekel apart: the lilting falsetto, the tremolo, the manifold ways his voice molds and shapeshifts to underscore the production, rather than the other way around.
There is room in this spacious music for small, experimental touches that don't announce themselves—from the harmonious, intergalactic fade out on "Holy Matrimony" to the womping bassline on "Chronophobia", which is later underscored by a beat that sounds like someone clicking their tongue. It's a unique touch that's characteristic of Raw, Vol. 1—Azekel isn't reinventing the wheel, but his attention to detail results in something rare: a record that feels impulsive, risky, and polished all at the same time.
