‘Cuff’ by Penny Taylor smooths out the edges of contemporary RnB. With a trappy pulse, wavy oscillations of reverb wrapping around the melodies, and Taylor’s constantly in-flux vocal presence, it’s the definition of a melodious feat of sonic mesmerism. Hit play and sink into the single, which sees the singer-songwriter lay it all on the line while teasing salaciously hot imagery into the mix, ensuring it hits on every conceivable level.
Having honed his unique sound for over a decade—starting from humble beginnings with a USB mic hanging from his childhood room’s ceiling fan—Taylor has evolved into an unreckonable force in the music industry. Drawing inspiration from Bryson Tiller, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole, his distinctive hip hop, neo-soul, and RnB fusion makes him peerless, as does his ability to tune into universal emotion and make them hit with personal resonance.
Taylor may not have reinvented the RnB wheel with ‘Cuff’, but his authentic contribution ensures he has earned his place in the innovative vanguard as the genre shifts with the times, keeping the vibes raw, real, and relatable for this generation and beyond.
Cuff is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast