Released: April 21, 2023
TL;DR: This breakup track is a really good example of a duet done well.
Links
WithLoveXavier's Youtube: https://youtube.com/@WithLoveXavier
Ayah Abdul's Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ayahabdulr
Sometimes, featured artists don't get much time in the sun, as the more famous artist relegates their counterpart to background vocals. However, on "Always Something", both WithLoveXavier and Ayah Abdul get equal opportunities to shine, and the result is a polished R&B breakup tune.
I'll start with the production, as usual. There isn't much to say about it: the primary instruments are what seems to be a synth and a muted drum machine, and that's it. It does a nice job of setting a melancholy mood for the track. More importantly, the moderate volume of the backing track allows the two vocalists plenty of time to flex their abilities a bit.
WithLoveXavier comes from the crowded New York music scene, with only one streaming hit to his name ("Lover Bestie" with Priya the Mystic.) However, he's got an impressively smooth lower range and strong vocal tone. His emotive ability is clear, though I would have liked to hear a bit more feeling early in the song. The featured artist, Ayah Abdul, is of course also from New York. Anyone who's read my blog for any length of time already knows her background as an R&B singer-songwriter. She also turns in an excellent performance on this track, with characteristic smooth vocals, natural charisma, and impressive control and range. The two artists' voices are complementary, too, when they join forces on the chorus: WithLoveXavier carries the lower range, while Abdul handles the high notes with ease. The vocals are definitely the standout part of this song.
The lyrics are quite straightforward: the two narrators are in a failed relationship and dealing with the reality of their situation. Both seem adamant that nothing can be done to fix it; WithLoveXavier's narrator blames the other for always making a scene, while Abdul's narrator seems to feel that she's been patient enough and can never do anything to please her partner. There's some decent lines in there, and the "always something" hook certainly works given the frustrations both parties express. Overall, the lyrics are well-suited to the production and vocals.
I'm posting this review on the day of WithLoveFest: Birthday Edition in New York City (May 25), and I'm hoping that these two artists will perform this track live. It will probably sound even better than the studio version.
Score: 8/10 (well-executed heartbreak duet)