This is an Eric Solitude appreciation post.
Eric Solitude currently has no album out. He has nine singles that live on streaming platforms as he tries to figure out the right time to construct a full project. Between these nine singles are differing styles from the past four years: soulful and sensual, lush soundscapes, and at times, infectious and catchy melodies.
“Kymco” is a great example from 2019 of the infectious and catchy side of Eric Solitude. He accomplishes a lot under two minutes with his layered vocals over a simple-yet-effective three-note melody and a shaker.
“Absence” (2020) and “Ruby” (2021) follow a somewhat similar pattern to “Kymco.” These tracks are equipped with groovy drums that carry the light-hearted upbeat spirit of these tracks. But in between those tracks, he released “Sapphire”. The tracks I listed above felt ready for a summer picnic or a beach day, but “Sapphire” was meant for the late summer/early fall sunset. The soothing, drawn-out synths and muted drums really bring Solitude’s vocals and emotion to the front of the line.
And this is when I began to understand Solitude’s approach to the singles-only release strategy, or even non-strategy. It’s not a strategy leading up to an album where he wants to stretch the life of a rollout a bit. But it’s a focus on developing his sound and seeing what resonates. He’s bringing us along for the ride of his own artist discovery as he tries to understand what an Eric Solitude full project may look like.
That brings us to “DOGFIGHT,” Eric Solitude’s latest single. It’s a song exploring discomfort, or as he puts it, “speaking to the elephant in the room hanging over his head.” The track is led by a guitar chord progression that sets a lighter mood, but the production fluctuates in tone as the song progresses. There are multiple pauses where the beat partially pulls back and gives room for the small details to breathe. These pauses allow Eric’s emotive vocals to glow even when he’s singing low and to himself having an inner monologue. “DOGFIGHT” does an incredible job combining the strengths of Eric’s singles over the past few years. It’s my favorite song of his to date and I’m excited to continue and hear the evolution of Eric Solitude.
Stream “DOGFIGHT” below and follow Eric Solitude on Instagram and Twitter.
