Purple | 3BOPS

1. Snoh Aalegra, “Violet Skies”

💿 Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies • 🏷 Artium Recordings / Roc Nation • 📅 2021

“My world was all upside down / Wish I knew you’d come around, wish I knew / If you’d say violet skies were right in front of our eyes / I would doubt you.” 🎵 “Violet Skies,” which hails from the 2021 album, 💿 Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies, is a record soul and neo-soul enthusiasts can get behind.  It’s old-school, yet also, refreshing. R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 Snoh Aalegra is experiencing anxiety regarding her relationship, getting in her head and unsure if she can totally trust her lover.

Aalegra asserts, on the pre-chorus:

“If I could go back in time
I’d tell you get out your mind
I’d tell you get out your head
Everything’s gonna be alright.”

Her anxiety and doubt are relatable to both men and women.  Why? Well, both men and women have commitment and trust issues – it’s not gender-specific.

2. J Balvin, “Morado”

💿 Colores • 🏷 Universal Music Latino / UMG • 📅 2020

Colombian reggaeton superstar 🎙J Balvin delivers a brief, entertaining, and colorful sixth studio album, 💿Colores.  On the 2020 LP, all 10 tracks have song titles featuring colors (exclusively Spanish).  Among the crème de la crème of Colores are “Rojo” (“Red”), “Negro” (“Black”), and “Blanco” (“White”).  While the purple song at hand, “Morado,” doesn’t top the list of gems, it’s worth spinning regardless.  

“Dance, so that your butt bounces.” Ooh la la! On “Morado,” Balvin’s girl is wild to say the least.  “I ordered a drink, and she ordered the whole bottle,” he sings on the chorus, characterizing her personality.  That personality translates into the bedroom, too – shocker, right? “Girl, I’m sure you were the first to…” Ultimately, “Morado” is enjoyable and sexy.  

3. Mansionair, “Violet City”

💿 Shadowboxer • 🏷 Glassnote • 📅 2019

“Wide awake in this violet city / Where it washes over me / It hurts to say that I want you with me / Just draped across my frame.” Sigh, 🎵 “Violet City” is a sleek record that arrives as the seventh track on 💿 Shadowboxer, the debut album by 🏆 Grammy-nominated Australian trio, 🎙 Mansionair (🎙Lachlan Bostock, 🎙Alex Nicholls, and 🎙Jack Froggatt). Mansionair first caught my eye courtesy of the ODESZA record, 🎵 “Line of Sight”. On “Violet City,” the Aussie collective ‘tickles my fancy’ once more – in a purple sort of way!

What makes “Violet City” so flipping awesome?  The vocals are lovely, particularly their commanding nature and the pureness of the falsetto.  Additionally, the production is epic, characterized by rhythmic intensity, carried by the beat and a barrage of synthetic sounds.  The lyrics aren’t too shabby either, even as it’s easy to get lost in the vibe Mansionair has assembled.  The chorus is sweet as well:

“Ooh, I can’t help myself, the moment that I let it go
Is when I find I’m in control, in control
Ooh, I need something else, the moment that I let it go
Is when I find I’m in control, I’m in control.”

“Violet City” is a phenomenal way to conclude this purple miniature list.

Also Appears On 🔽:
🔗 🎧 14 Songs Characterized by Colors
🔗 🎧 30-Day Song Challenge 🎶: The Complete Playlist