It’s hard to convincingly blend styles together in music without sounding either tacky or forced, but Kali Uchis and Ozuna do a wonderful job in their newest single ‘Another Day in America’ doing just that.

R&B has always been a bit vague in terms of its identity. If you listen to R&B in the 70s, compared to what’s considered R&B today, the two would be extremely different in sound, but very similar still in emotion and feel. Kali Uchis and Ozuna were very aware of that, obviously, when composing ‘Another Day in America’, where there are hints of trap, pop, jazz, and hip hop, all the while blending two languages. The chord progression is the most impressive part of this song – it manages to be insanely jazzy without being explicitly jazzy. The melodies sung by the two artists follows the changes masterfully and effortlessly. The blend of instruments that might sound a bit strange together in theory, such as acoustic guitars and heavy trap drums, are another strong suite of ‘Another Day in America’. They are mixed in a way that sounds so contrasting all the while making perfect sense. The two artists’ voices make the composition so much more exciting, too, adding both an edge in the verses and a relaxing, soothing layer in the choruses to the otherwise exciting instrumentation. Kali Uchis’ harmonies in the choruses especially shine here, traversing between thirds and fifths, respectively adding color and foundation to the melody.

‘Another Day in America’ is an impressive collaboration of both personnel, ideas, and sound. The short duration of the song almost begs for more, but the experience is just right with its two-minutes-and-forty-seven-seconds runtime, especially thanks to its consistent and purposeful structure. All that mixed with its crystal-clear production, ‘Another Day in America’ is a wonderful addition to both of the artists’ catalog, and a great song to add to your personal playlist.&nbsp

Author: Nicholas Gaudet

Music producer and writer from Dieppe, Canada.