Hollis, “Sedative” (self-released)
Hollis Wong-Wear established herself as one of Seattle’s smoothest and most enchanting singers with suave R&B/hip-hop unit the Flavr Blue and as a guest vocalist on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s “White Walls.” Now Hollis busts a solo move, with her debut single “Sedative,” recorded with Chucky Kim and drummer Stefan Litrownik.
“Sedative” begins in a soothing chill mode and soon eases into a seductive funk rhythm, bolstered by some of the most laid-back claps you’ll hear all year. Hollis sings like a consoling healer, her creamy voice a balm for romantic and existential pain. It’s hard not to relate to lines like “It’s unsettling, unsettling / Take it all swallow it like medicine / Because this life is gonna kill ya after all / There’s no sedative strong enough to numb all that you’re running from / This life is gonna kill ya after all.” The dewy guitar part here—with hints of Pat Martino-like, cosmic folk-jazz—is the surprise cherry on top, imparting a crystalline cry of comfort. Look for Hollis‘s first EP, half-life, which drops in January 2020. (The engaging video below is directed and animated by Jamie Wolf.)
