[Intro]
Just wanna be happy
You're all over me
You can't deny
Yeah
[Hook]
I feel the fog again
I'm losing my sight
You're all over me
I feel the fog again
I'm losing my might
Yeah
[Verse 1]
Borrowed nights (nights)
All I have of you (you, you, you, you, you)
Slipping in the backdoor
Like you always do
Car lights (lights)
Flash us in the room
We're both on the dark side
But I wanna move
I want to show our pride
You don't. You only want to hide
And I don't get it
Why you're not ready
Whoa, this is heavy
Mmmm oooo
Yeah
[Hook]
I feel the fog again
I'm losing my sight
You're all over me
I feel the fog again
I'm losing my might
Yeah
[Verse Two]
Now we're smashing like the cars
Accidents that don't go far
Yeah, we shatter like the stars
On the ground we turn to dust
Make a wish and call on me
Scream it louder. Nightmare. Dream
Make your mother run on me
On your name, my name repeats again
Who’s bad?
Who’s bad?
Who’s bad? (Uh huh)
Who’s bad? (Again)
You can't deny that you ain't right
Yeah
[Hook]
I feel the fog again
I'm losing my sight
You're all over me
I feel the fog again
I'm losing my might
Yeah
[Bridge]
Oh baby why you gotta at me
When I saw you parked outside
The fog came and grabbed me
Oh baby why you gotta haze me
Wanna see the brighter side
Just wanna be happy
In Pride. In pride. In pride
You can't deny that you ain't right
[Hook]
I feel the fog again
I'm losing my sight
You're all over me
I feel the fog again
I'm losing my might
Yeah
Who's bad?
Who's bad?
Who's bad?
Who's bad? (You’re all over me)
Who's bad?
Who's bad?
Who's bad?
Who's bad? (Yeah)
Canadian artist R. Flex returns with ONCE UPON A FLEX. In collaboration with multi-disciplinary producer David Psutka (ACT!, Egyptrixx, Anamai), the 2-track EP recalls the melancholic grooves of 80’s R&B.
R. Flex’s vocal performances are deftly evocative. At the turn of a phrase, they flit from soft and understanding to tragic and downtrodden. The result is their most vulnerable, paranoid, and honest work to date. Their ability to navigate 80’s R&B while traversing topics like sex with downlow men & public breakdowns, makes for a cotemporal record that reveals queer emotions, experiences, and events that were always bubbling under the surface of 80’s R&B.
Taking influence from the likes of Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, & Luther Vandross, ONCE UPON A FLEX comes to life. “The Fog” unravels with cinematic soundscapes that captivate eerie tones and unparalleled ambiguity. R. Flex shares, “I ended up turning that feeling of moral ambiguity into sexual ambiguity. I, in turn, made a song about my experiences having sex with men on the downlow. Meaning, I made a song about men who have sex with men, but don’t identify as gay to avoid coming out.” Blended with a reverbarating rhythm and soaring vocal energy, they continue, “I think for a song that pulls from quiet storm, which is already known for expanding masculinity to embrace domestic sensuality, this song pushes beyond heteronormative expectations.” Leaning into a realm of quiet storm, pop and trap, “The Fog” comes to life.
“Hounds of Hell” is the second offering from the EP. Pinning down discourses into self-abandonment across both tracks, it’s R. Flex’s hope that the EP inspires listeners to feel. They confide, “I expose the paradox of centering oneself in the midst of a social ill while dissociating at the same time. There’s no centre; just an endless cycle of self-abandonment that brings the EP together.” Inspired by a line in Sky Ferreira’s “I Blame Myself”, “Hounds of Hell” serves something maniacal and yet vulnerable. Much like "The Fog", there’s a tension, but the beat feels lucid, pairing sublimely with R. Flex’s euphoric vocals.
Garnering humbling praise from the likes of Exclaim Magazine, Bandcamp, and The Star, R. Flex’s repertoire to date has been discovered globally, landing on queer playlists in Amsterdam, Toronto, and New York. Simply put, R. Flex is an underground star in the making. Supporting the likes of Haiku Hands and Khalifa, they also performed alongside BLCK*SYNC at the 2nd anniversary of Club Quarantine (one of the world’s biggest online dance parties). R. Flex is in demand and excited for you to CHECK THE FLEX!
credits
released September 16, 2022
Once Upon a Flex is out September 12 (WAV). All songs by R Flex + David Psutka. Additional vocals on The Fog by Kamilah Apong. Mastered by East End Mastering. Cover Image Photo by May Truong. Photoshoot styled by Garçonnnne + Make Up by Alanna Fennell. Distributed by SRD and available to purchase via Bandcamp. Press enquiries: halocline.trance@gmail.com
Toronto’s R. Flex makes electro-R&B with a voice that’s at once smooth and smoky. Their live performances have helped them
open for Silla and Rise, Shad, and Le1f. Their 2nd EP “Flex With Benefits” received praise from Exclaim, Bandcamp, and Atwood Magazine. Check The Flex's new remix "La La Land (Sofia Fly Remix)". This will get you rolling, dancing, and romancing....more
Leilani manages to bring the power of her being across Sun Sun's beats. Fab collabs from Lido Pimentia, Lucas Silveira, and Rosina Kazi only elevate the record. R. Flex
supported by 4 fans who also own “Once Upon A Flex”
Raven is gentle, the rhythms are like a breath brushing the surface of the skin, the music has the consistency of a cloud, weighless, no sweat here or grit, effortless glide, as heavy as a memory or fleeting as a thought.
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