When one thinks of alternative music, it is easy to imagine a level of reckless abandon when approaching traditional genres. While this is true, on one level, it is also hard to ignore that most artists who are bold enough to pursue genres adjacent to anything established often create their own path. In most cases, this is worth at least hearing out. Blayze Deville is one such artist whose music is worth checking out.
Blayze Deville is a South African alternative and experimental artist. He often mixes Soul, R&B, and Indie Rock styles to his music but the underlying style of his music often lends itself to an undeniable Pop aesthetic. His 2019 project, River Isle is a refined fusion of this.
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Born and raised in Rustenburg, South Africa, Blayze started off making music in March 2007 at 12 years old, and hasn’t looked back since. His interest in music peaked after his uncle gave him a copy of Reason 3 during the school holidays to keep him busy while he was visiting. This ambition to grow as a musician lead to him playing keyboard in a school band during his high school years.
When Blayze Deville joined the Academy of Contemporary Music in 2012, he started digesting all kinds of music as part of his musical education. He drew inspiration from artists like Sade, Jamiroquai, Oasis, RHCP, Kings of Leon, The Internet and Kanye West to name a few and this informed the direction he would take when he made music.
His first solo release was Desert Rose under Sky Heaven, in 2016. It was heavily used in the popular South African soap-opera, Isidingo, along with other unreleased material. His latest project is titled River Isle and it is his debut EP although it sounds leaps and bounds years ahead in terms of influences.
River Isle a deeper or somehow more artistic delivery of alternative Pop music. The style and tone of Insecure and Forever Young for example has a dark and foreboding atmosphere. Contrast that with the light and almost upbeat tempo of Go and The Thrill makes for some compelling listening. The 4 track EP suggests there’s more artistry within a genre that has become more of a cliche of itself. There’s more to expect from this dynamic artist.
Check out the visual EP below!
