Oliver Malcolm Takes a Note From London's Underground and Gorillaz in "Kevin"

Photo: Glen Matheny

You can say a lot about enviable up-and-comer Oliver Malcolm, but one thing you cannot say is that he's predictable. The Swedish-born, London-raised artist made an explosive debut with "Switched Up," a jittering please, only to follow it up with a spark of contained chaos in "Helen." Now, he is back with "Kevin," his third single to date, and another look into the transfixing mind of this peerless rising artist.

"Kevin," which is set to appear on Malcolm's debut project due out later this fall, is a genre unto itself. His vocals, which shift between a man enraptured in religious fervor and a snarl that highlights his thick London accent to the fullest, cut through an unrelenting beat carried by an infectious bassline. Every second is undeniably Malcolm and quite unlike anything else out there at the moment.

The whole affair brings to light the possibility of a third British Invasion; it is a sound so definitive of its cultural roots but still so wildly ahead of its time. The effect continues through in its accompanying animated video, which backed by Malcolm's gritty vocals, calls to mind the generation-defining music videos of the Gorillaz. The rising artist spoke further on his new animated video, sharing,

"I wanted the video for Kevin to be a cartoon because I like the idea of using a medium that is generally geared towards kids to tell a dark and gritty story. The contrast helps emphasize the difference between the light and dark. Plus no one’s filming music videos during quarantine."

"Kevin" builds on the waves of early promise Malcolm has received, cementing him as an artist more than apt to bring his distinctive vision to life.

Listen to "Kevin" below: