Following the split of the aptly-named Christian Heath Band, the South African singer-songwriter has since moved on to produce work of his own. Velvet-covered pop defines the majority of his new EP, One, slinking in elements of Latin soul and rock for good measure. At its core, the mini-album’s intent is for its heart to beat as one with the world, as at the center One is its title track—a vivacious dedication to the world at large.
Surrounding Heath’s ode to international unity is a collection of songs that, together, represent a newfound, full-bodied artistic identity away from the rock band that once made him. All of the tunes seem to contribute to an overall consciousness that embodies worldliness and embraces our unified roots. When he isn’t being joined by rapper Infidelix for their urbane, ‘We Are the World’-esque emergence, Heath is riding pumpy basslines and crooning against glistening melodies that envelop universally relatable musings on love, as well as seduction.
The Richard Marx comparisons here are inevitable with Heath’s wispy, charismatic, and soulful vocals ferrying his songs forward with an effortless vibrancy. Albeit, at the end of the day, this man is his own artist, and one well worth an ear. From his humanistic work dedicated towards bringing us to better tomorrows with the titular ‘One’ itself, and well through all of the rest, Heath is an impressively suave indie pop artist who is already making accolades in his country and is poised to start doing so across borders, as well. At the heart of it all is a humbled soul intent on bringing us further together, and one that is intent on embracing our universal musical roots despite his largely contemporary sound.