Madison McFerrin

You + I

BY Ryan B. PatrickPublished Dec 3, 2019

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Madison McFerrin has been taking a measured and steady approach to success. The daughter of jazz legend Bobby McFerrin and sibling to producer/DJ Taylor McFerrin, Madison is her own person. You  + I follows the buzz for her a capella Finding Foundations EPs. This six-track effort serves up a musical background to her unique vocal abilities and heightened social consciousness. The silky "Intro" opens us up and a track like the jazz-bop of "No Room" speaks to isolation in a modern world and the feelings of disconnect within a connected one. "Try" throws us a line, tethered to a quiet dance groove.
 
As an individual of mixed African and European heritage, McFerrin identifies as a Black woman, as seen through her natural afro, and creates sounds that adhere to the principles of self-expression and resistance. McFerrin's vocals contract and expand in waves, expertly using up as much space as required to transmit the message: "Unwise" speaks to unspoken truths, the old school blues of "Know You Better" slaps, and "Fallin'" whispers of new beginnings and all that represents.
 
"As an artist, I believe it is our responsibility to hold up a mirror to society," McFerrin says. The jazzy soul You + I EP  represents this and steps its way to a fruitful and hopefully forthcoming full-length release.
(Independent)

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