Chicago musician Jared Lanell’s latest track “Been So Long” opens with a hypnotic, mellow beat produced by fellow ColdWind° member Noelz V. Shortly after, Noelz throws a curveball at the listeners, and what follows is pure euphoria. Another musician known by the name of Ekoli begins blaring his distorted guitar, contrasting heavily with Jared’s light, airy vocals which follow. Once again Jared chooses to intrigue listeners by playing around with his vocal delivery. After he sings the chorus once, he repeats himself, this time with a sense of urgency and desperation in his voice. Lyrically, “Been So Long” is about an ex and Jared reflecting on the relationship that he once had, singing lines like: “It’s been so long, I can’t remember all the times we spent. It’s been so long, forgot exactly how your body felt”, giving his passionate cadence purpose and depth.
Sonically, “Been So Long” is a soulful masterpiece, as Lanell manages to combine the emotional, sombre production alongside his terrific vocal performance. The steady percussion is spare yet impactful, only building on the high intensity of the track. For the most part, Lanell does not go on an experimental route with the track, instead playing it safe and creating a powerful RnB song. The catchy chorus and heart stirring verses play incredibly well with each other, as the track climaxes into another guitar section with layered vocals, ending an already strong track on an especially high note. The track is over three and a half minutes long, but with the changes in cadence, lyrically different verses, and instrumental sections, “Been So Long” never tires out, rather playing to its strengths for the entirety of the song. The single currently has over three thousand plays on Lanell’s SoundCloud, and if his prior music is any indication, that number is sure to grow.