With an intense focus on lyricism, structure, and layered vocal harmonies, Eric Bellinger is one of the best pure songwriters in the world of R&B. Unplugging the electronic instrumentation from March’s Eric B. For President: Term 2, Eric showcases his songcraft on Term 2 Acoustic, a new project that re-imagines and rearranges the songs on the original EP with only acoustic instruments.
Though some tracks, such as the bossa nova-inflected, Wale-featuring “Treat Yourself,” lend themselves to easy acoustic interpretation, Eric does justice to even the most beat-driven tracks on the original EP.
Bellinger transforms the moody and atmospheric “Know/Vibes” into a lilting ballad, and slows down the dancehall-flavored “Make Her Mine,” into a minor-key acoustic stomp. Featuring appearances from Wale, ELHAE, Victoria Monét, and Tayla Parx, who guests on the sexy bop “Island,” Term 2 Acoustic is an intimate listen, refocusing attention to Bellinger’s pitch-perfect vocals and Grammy winning penmanship.
“I love acoustic versions because guitar is such a simple, yet potent, instrument,” explains Eric Bellinger. “The feeling from those strings alone brings so much organic raw emotion to the music. Stripping down all the instruments and allowing the listener to focus in on lyrics, melodies, harmonies, ad-libs, and my intricately detailed vocal arrangements is important to me. With everything being so trapped-out nowadays I just wanted to give the people another alternative. Something different, something soulful, something they could feel.”
Strip down and press play on Term 2 Acoustic below.
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