Toby TomTom calls himself a sonic architect who defies categorization -a bold statement that is put to the test on his latest offering ‘23’. Let’s see if the single pass that test.
Based in Long Island with roots in Akron, Ohio, Toby TomTom shines across on ‘23’ as an off-kilter musician whose charisma seeps easily through the cracks of his distinctive sound. Bridging never-before-seen gaps between funk, folk, electronica, soul, and gospel, TomTom’s sound comes really close to Bowie levels of uniqueness and of creativity.
‘23’ is a song that is defined by a punchy beat and an intoxicating sub bass part that’s barely perceptible but whose earth-shattering effects are readily felt. ‘23’ is also a shapeshifting beast, jumping from driving, melodic parts to groovy interludes and breakdowns, and from soulful vocals to firey rapping in heartbeats. ‘23’ is a song that also showcases Toby TomTom as a bit of a musical visionary. With lyrics about the search for meaning, and about a daughter’s plea for her father, the words are just as enigmatic as the music on ‘23’.
‘23’ is one of those songs that deserve high quality speakers for all the details to come across, and even then, you’d probably need half a dozen listens to wrap your head around the intense amounts of musical cues on this genre-blending stunner. A truly stand out piece of music.