IamKay Explores the Beauty in Ambiguity on Play

IamKay refuses to be direct on “Play.” For those familiar with the dating scene and hookup culture, there is a lot to admire here. He does capture the ambivalence that defines these interactions. Even within the genre-crossing, he refuses to make that obvious either. Within the track, one can hear pop, hip-hop, R&B, and soul elements in a singular sound. The sound glistening for the production here has a stellar quality. Much of it goes for this sparkling party atmosphere. Celebratory certainly works, given that even as IamKay questions himself, he still appears to be having fun. Right within it, a degree of an existential series of questions, for what reason are all these hookups being done, is at the center of it.

The immediate blast of the sound has a delicacy that feels doubly refreshing. He makes sure that the song starts up reasonably quickly too. Beats on here draw upon dance as much as pop as hip-hop. Genre-wise it is a mash-up, though the sleekness that the track embodies is very real. Distinct with its bass work, too, the song has a driving, propulsive energy. Interestingly the power varies from confidence to concern dependent on the lyricism, making the lyricism a litmus test of the sound’s vibe.

An accurate prism view of one’s initial reaction, “Play” features the excellent and highly contemporary storytelling style of IamKay.