Costa Rican producer Raido and Mexican beatmaker-vocalist Elebleu have teamed up for “Black Beach,” a stripped-down dembow track with house roots. Released via Mexican netlabel NWLA, the duo’s collaboration explores the enticingly fleeting nature of summer romance. For Raido, the latest track is a sunny detour from his ongoing EP series Automatic/Manual.
Raido’s production opens with the aquatic layers of a dembow riddim. The producer’s trademark synth work provides an airy backdrop and brings “Black Beach” full circle, culminating in a composition that lies comfortably on a spectrum between Maluma and Giorgio Moroder.
Elebleu, on the other hand, lays down an impressive vocal performance, having just recently returned to the mic after focusing on production (including the recent Beasty Godiva collab “Ven P’acá.)” The track bubbles over with a sense of longing, calling to mind a slurred, drunken night out with untold consequences. In his own words, “It’s the typical story about ephemeral love which starts unexpectedly and ends up like almost every summer fling: with disappointment and oblivion.”
As Elebleu’s vocals fade out and Raido’s production is stripped down to silence, the serene, solemn tide makes its return and does its best to drown the sense of desire that underlies the entire song.
Whether it’s just a brief respite from his EP series or a shift in focus towards ambient dembow, “Black Beach” is guaranteed to find a place on sadbois and sadgirls’ summer soundtracks.