#soundcheck – sultry single from (i am) isis: ‘i saw you’

Afropunk member (I Am) Isis has been dropping a steady stream of singles since 2009, but she’s finally ready for a full length. The debut Amazingly Random comes out this fall, and the dope first single ‘I Saw You’ is out now. The track combines a longing blues guitar lick with Isis’ sultry spoken-word; seamlessly blending the vintage and the modern to create something new. It’s a sexy come-on of a song; though it has the unfortunate side-effect of making the room 2 degrees warmer. Isis has an infectious delivery, getting lost in the excitement of meeting someone new. She flows with a sense of excitement bubbling just below the surface, but always trying to keep her cool. “…especially when I should be spitting about political infidelities and social inequalities / but I digress / cause I really must impress…”

‘I Saw You’ is mellower than (I Am) Isis’ previous singles, reaching back to Isis’ roots as a poet. But returning to her roots has already paid off. ‘I Saw You’ is nominated for a 2012 National Poetry Award. (You can vote here) So if being anywhere without air conditioning hasn’t done it for you yet, this is another reason to be excited for the fall.

– Words by Nathan Leigh