Black Atlass, Lie to Me | Track Review

Alex Fleming, better known as Black Atlass, makes a strong comeback with his first single in more than two years, “Lie to Me.”

In 2018, Canadian-bred, LA-based musician Alex Fleming, better known as Black Atlass, released his sophomore album, Pain & Pleasure.  Signed with XO, a subsidiary of Republic co-founded by The Weeknd, unsurprisingly, Fleming possesses many vocal similarities to him. After a two-year hiatus, Fleming returns with a compelling new single, “Lie to Me.”

“Lie to Me” has no shortage of pros.  First of all, the production is superb, courtesy of DANNYBOYSTYLES and Oligee.  They give Black Atlass a mighty backdrop to paint his colorful, expressive, and sexy vocals upon.  That mighty backdrop includes lush keyboards, synths, and anchoring beat.  Throw in a minor-key, and the vibe is absolutely electrifying on “Lie to Me.”

The production is awesome but so is Black Atlass. As aforementioned, he paints those stellar vocals atop the superb production work. He continues to showcase vocal similarities to The Weeknd, including a flawless falsetto that’s ripe AF.  The listener is most blessed on the chorus, where “lie to me” features that epic, falsetto treatment:

“So, lie to me
Lie to me
Lie to me babe
I’m feeling all that I can take
Lie to me
Lie to me
Lie to me babe
And my heart will never break.”

Besides the chorus, of course, there’s plenty of alluring moments in regard to songwriting.  Basically, Black Atlass is experiencing heartbreak, and as he sees his ex, well, he doesn’t want to know about her current relationship.  Therefore, she should – wait for it – LIE.  Clearly, he’s still in love with her. Fleming admits he is the blame for their break-up on the second verse, admitting “I fucked this up / You know I can be brave / I can be kind / I can be yours / Just give me time…”

Final Thoughts

It may have been two year since hearing from Black Atlass, but he returns with a bang on “Lie to Me.” His voice is absolutely amazing.  The songwriting and theme of the record are relatable, perfectly tailor to his strengths artistically.  The production is incredible – the expectation of a R&B record centered on L-O-V-E.  Not enough people were listening to Alex Fleming in 2018.  I need more to tune in for his return in 2020 – he’s quite talented.

Black Atlass • “Lie to Me” – Single • XO / Republic • Release: 2.14.20

Photo Credits: XO / Republic