Mack Keane and Walker Link for the Soulful "Love Won't Bring Me Down"
After dropping two EPs last year, Mack Keane is showing no signs of slowing down. Growing up surrounded by music, Keane's early influences included Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye and later artists like Frank Ocean and Justin Timberlake.
His soul-driven sound meshes perfectly with Walker, his collaborator on the track. Walker started playing guitar at 16 and was heavily influenced by jazz music. As described by Walker, their latest release is, "Just two guys who love soul music doing their thing, and together we elevate it."
"Love Won't Bring Me Down" is the perfect song for the post-Valentine's Day honeymoon phase many are still entranced in. The track is a refreshingly optimistic take on love, reminiscent of everyone's first crush. The airy vocals and perfectly blended harmonies mirror the stress-free relationship that serves as the focal point for this soulful collaboration. Keane and Walker kept the lyrics minimal, initially freestyling the track, giving Walker's skilled instrumentality plenty of room to shine.
It's rare to find a song with a guitar pattern as equally compelling as the chorus, but this song does just that. The pair's diverse musical influences are very transparent on the track, as the smooth bass line, skillfully layered vocals, and rhythmic drum pattern play off one another
Despite being their first track together, Keane and Walker sound like they've spent years in the studio together perfecting their sound. Their musical chemistry is undeniable, and we hope this isn't the last we'll hear from the pair.
Listen to "Love Won't Bring Me Down" below:
