A Khruangbin & Leon Bridges collaboration EP

Yes, I felt the Texas Sun. I’ve only ever been to Texas in the winter, but I would imagine the Texas sun is as warm as its namesake in Track 1. What I’ve seen in Red Dead Redemption or western movies growing up is what I feel is being communicated in the instrumental arrangement. I feel the ride, whether it be on a horse, a truck or a low-rider. 

The other thing that is being lucidly communicated by Leon Bridges and his committal expression and vocal projection is love. Track 2, Midnight is pure, uninhibited romance. 

Then Track 3, C-Side, which is one of those soundbites that are delicious enough to taste with the human tongue. Still heavy handed with the romance, I find myself drawn to this song’s approach because it’s drum and bass combination is makes the feeling a bit more fleeting and slippery to allow me to avoid overindulging in Leon Bridge’s evocations.

Finally, Track 4, Conversion, will take you back into the depths of that feeling that is so easy to get lost in. I picked on the Christian reference to the song At The Cross by Ron Huff, which contextualizes the love he speaks of and gives meaning to the title of the track. It also led me to believe that Bridges reached into the spiritual space when writing and performing the song. 

At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the Light

And the burden of my heart rolled away, rolled away

It was there by Faith, I received my sight

And now I am happy all the day

Leon Bridges – Conversion (Texas Sun, 2020)

I found it beautiful and fitting that Texan society’s Christian values made into the love-centric narrative of the EP to create a more complete picture of love’s variety in that region. 

This is part one of the sonic image under the Texas sun created by Leon Bridges and Khruangbin.