If there’s one thing Boston’s Shane Dylan and Kofi Lost have in common, it’s their ear for lush melodies that transport listeners to multiple sections of the world. In many ways however, they operate from different perspectives. Dylan is a piano player and composer studying music at the New England Conservatory, while Lost is a Boston/Ghanaian DIY artist who displayed a cultured versatility on his February album Afro Moses (see “Composed”).
Despite their different backgrounds, the two localists seamlessly link up for a free-flowing jazz extravaganza titled “Last Week.” It’s the second official single for Dylan’s collaborative hip hop/R&B/jazz project set to hit streaming services in the near future. According to Dylan, the album will feature numerous artists from the Boston music scene, including, Red Shaydez, Tashawn Taylor, SeeFour, Marquis Filthy, Cakeswagg, Lost, and more from the local community.
“Last Week” is a serene piece of orchestration thanks to Dylan’s boom-bap drums, intermittent piano keys, melodic trumpets, and an unflappable sax solo. Lost is a rapper’s rapper, stringing discreet sentences together like lights on a Christmas tree (“Please, take it easy with me/I’m not the same me you see since y’all see me last week/When, everything was so sweet”). Much like on his album, Lost changes inflections like the weather, exuding raw emotion at every turn of Dylan’s accomplished production style. He loves spitting incessant one-liners, but he’s even better when he’s maintaining a tight narrative-much like he does on “Last week.”
When Dylan explains the meaning behind the song, it’s almost as if he’s describing the past few months of our disease-ridden world-“The song is kind of about how people’s emotions, states of being, and relationships can change suddenly, leaving you longing for “last week.”” I don’t think a quote has hit harder for me. Two weeks ago I was roaming my college campus enjoying every minute of my senior year. Now, I have to suddenly say goodbye to most of my relationships for good (aside from my closest friends obviously) due to an unthinkable virus that’s becoming more eerie by the day. Anything can happen at any moment.
Underneath Dylan and Lost’s easygoing nature lies the old-school message of never taking things for granted. Sure, this may sound trite on the surface, but it’s never been more important of a sentiment than it is now. Stream “Last Week” on all streaming services, and be on the lookout for Dylan’s new project.
The new single premiers on Spotify Today, April 3rd, 2020: CLICK HERE FOR THE SPOTIFY LINK
