hypergloss intro, pro-toolsish acoustic guitar, piano, moogy synth - now listen, any uk-ist who secretly pines for the mid nineties is going to recognize the similarity to gabrielle & east 17's astoundingly classic "if you ever". but this kind of rip is easy to respect coz even moreso than it's forbear, the arrangement and instrumentation is just so. ahhh. relax. you are in the hands of professional rnbists. they can drop a sumptuous, thought-provoking semi-ballad while you're in the toilet. relax. now listen to what the fuck nivea has to say! "even kodak couldn't fix this picture / you can take this as a lesson learn / kinda like usher u gotta let that shit burn" she is regretting some dude leaving, tho i am baffled as to why he left beyond vague talk of not appreciating him til it was too late. maybe this dilly-dallying vagueness was the reason he got out, niv!
(first verse and chorus directed towards absent 'him', second verse directed towards female audience as if niv has tired of internalizing her regret and suddenly longs to atone in a positive way.)
you might also have spotted the meta-crazy "burn" ref: every 05 rnb album must have its burn moment; i ain't going to say usher's tune was strikingly original, it's more like it reached such a exquisitely rarified pitch for danceable slow jams (think hard drums, regretfulness, lush swirly atmospherics, wordy verses, MASSIVE POPULARITY) that it has forced its way into being a feather in every rnb singer's bow. why the fuck would you NOT have a burn moment?? and whether niv has played me with her powers of suggestion or dazzled with her knowingness, "breathe" is by far my favourite 05 burn moment.
(having said that i'm feeling "we belong together" more each day!)
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