There’s a certain egg-shaped sound Jaake Castro produces that’s both signature and arresting.
It feels sort of 90s, a blend of Alanis’ lifted palate bellow, Darius Rucker’s sinewy punch, and fucking Jodeci. That’s the first sound you hear as the video for their debut single, ‘Covet,’ starts oozing from your desktop speakers at 3 am, a week after deadline.
The first word that hits your ear is ‘Opulence,’ so you know it’s finna be a ball. And what a ball it is.
‘Covet,’ is a curious mix of melancholy, yearning, fierce and steamy, a sonic bed of synths and handclap snares underscoring a song about obsession and self-affirmation.
The Tom Goss-directed video is a thrill. Shirtless close-up lip-sync shots alternate with a green screen ‘Ringu’-but-make-it-fashion moment. The aforementioned ball scenes feature wide shots highlighting a seemingly endless array of fly as hell, vogueing, popping, twirling, swirling youths. Castro is a towering figure, a sensual specter overseeing the proceedings, eyes piercing the lens, boots stomping the floor. It feels like a moment, a welcome party for an artist who’s been waiting for just the right moment to say hello. They know exactly what you covet, you gluttonous little goose.