The Singles Bar: Michael Kight attempts to ‘Clear’ the air

Welcome to The Singles Bar, a review series focused on new single and song releases.

It’s hard to glean much honesty these days. The ominous glow of smart phones breeds detachment, insecurity and escape. Social media exacerbates the divisions, further stripping away connections for skin-deep accessibility. You can rarely tell if someone actually cares or if they delight in playing games. Pop newcomer Michael Kight, who enjoyed a brief stint on The Voice last fall, displays his exasperation with debut single “Clear,” a classically-smooth, ’90s-contorted R&B slow-jam imploring for an ex-lover’s true intentions. His vocal is like melted butter on the sidewalk, and his phrasing is magnetizing ⎯⎯ both cool and hot to the touch.

“Quit playing games like I’m dead,” he appeals, decorative twinkles blinding eyes in the production. “I bet you’re still talking trash with your friends and lovers,” he then spits, an intonation of bitterness seeping into his voice. He’s a bedeviling singer, and while there is a levelheadedness to his charges, the result is positively enchanting. “I just want to hear you say it,” he whispers into a trickle of synths and beats, which gallop along for days and days and days, oozing underneath his voice in glistening ripples.

There is a tremendous amount of pressure for a debut, and Kight fires on all cylinders. His vibe, his performance, his presence, it’s all working in almost every way. “Clear” is just the first taste of an impending EP, expected later this year.

Listen below:

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