BADBADNOTGOOD: “Time Moves Slow”

From a formidable hip-hop jam band or better yet a hip-hop roots trio to today and now a more lounge-like R&B style that is still somehow, accurately labeled jazz — Toronto’s 4-piece BBNG have always had a clear vision with their music. And perhaps it’s because of this vision and their immense talent, that the band has been able to work with a highly curated roster of diverse artists and musicians (Ghostface Killah, Danny Brown, and fellow Canadian KAYTRANADA to name a few) to help establish their young brilliant sound. Case in point, the artist the band selected (Future Island’s Samuel T. Herring) to define and deepen the soul of this song that permeates in multiple directions as it rides somewhere between promise and anguish.

BBNG have a sense of patience with their music that pulls the listener in closer. On “Time Moves Slow,” the story is no different. The beat begins with a lovely spacious drum structure that grows with each bass line, with the faintest whispers of brilliant key + guitar arrangements getting more attention and then setting the stage for Mr. Herring’s voice — so powerful, soulful and original — helping to bring it all front and center. Back and forth the song swings from a soul-drenched R&B ballad to a jazzy more uptempo number and then back again. Beautiful and moving, the song is immediately memorable and touching. And then it’s gone, just like that.

So then all I really want is more, and when that happens…I just hope the time moves ever so slowly.

BADBADNOTGOOD plays this Friday at Revolution Hall, presented by Soul’d Out & Pickathon.