Emanuel crafts a perfect piece of thoughtful pop on the tender ode of “Black Woman”

Emanuel – Black Woman

There’s a multilayered, multifaceted quality to Emanuel’s “Black Woman” that makes it an instant classic. From the way he effortlessly blends elements of R&B, chamber pop, art pop, and more into a coherent whole to the highly articulate poetic lyricism it all works wonders. With a keen ear for melody the song’s richness lies heavily in the power of his honeyed vocals as well as the carefully chosen words imbued in so much history. Emanuel gives a nod to the history he’s tapping into as well, cleverly starting the work out with Nikki Giovanni’s words to James Baldwin. Using those words is intense for after so many decades there is still so much that needs to be done.

Emanuel certainly knows how to open a piece, as a beguiling singular guitar alongside his voice starts things up. The tenderness of his voice pared with the intimacy of the guitar helps to make it a thing of exquisite beauty. Pastoral in its lovely hues, he lets the track grow gradually but ever so delicately. Strings further emphasize the urgency of the message, the need to support after so much support has been given for so long. Attention to the buildup makes it that much more satisfying, as his work has a naturalistic air to it allowing for so much vulnerability to be right at the very heart of the matter.

Done with such poise and grace, Emanuel crafts a perfect piece of thoughtful pop on the tender ode of “Black Woman”.