Ronnue has had quite a career in the last few years. Out of total obscurity, the Seattle-based singer, songwriter, producer, and verified soul man broke into the indie press in 2019 with a string of hit tracks that garnered a lot of love from critics, and in the time that’s passed, he has only gained more traction outside of the northwest, greatly thanks to his inventive personality in the recording studio.
Collaborators have come and gone, with a few notable ones such as Roc Phizzle and Lisa G. Allen making repeat appearances, but the star of the show in every mix Ronnue has delivered thus far has always been, well, Ronnue. Ego runs wild in the Seattle music scene – as is common knowledge to anyone who keeps up with the American underground – but this player has made a point of pushing his sound in directions a lot of artists would be too shy or uncomfortable to experiment with; case in point, his new single “You Got Me Open.” Like his past releases, this song is available in acapella, instrumental, feature, and standard mixes, all of which show us a different layer of an artistry many have come to celebrate as the last bastion of real pop magic.
J Esq’s featured remix of this single has a lot of tension in it compared to the mix that brings 008 into the booth, but I get the idea that Ronnue wanted more juxtaposition than pure symmetry here. He’s restless in these verses and looking for a little bit of relief on the other side of the track, which is where D08 is able to relax the tempo more than the presence J Esq has ever could. The producing is tight in both instances, and I’m very impressed with the collective effort all of these guys are putting into the music; what gave me the most chills in “You Got Me Open,” however, was the acapella rendition of the song. This is where we get down to the brass tacks of Ronnue’s musicianship, and what more or less certifies his ability to get around just about any beat with or without the presence of an overarching instrumental backdrop.
The bass element isn’t a big star in any of the mixes here, which was a little disappointing just because I was expecting a bit more physicality in the style of “Something About U,” but it didn’t deter me from swinging with the rhythm of the music just the same. Jagged and at times unsurprisingly indulgent on the melodic front, “You Got Me Open” is a winner in my book, and for those who thought they had heard everything Ronnue was capable of before sitting down with this all-new single and its various remixes, I think you’re going to be quite taken aback by the versatility this man is still bringing with him into the game. From what I can tell, the momentum isn’t dead yet, and he’s making the most of it heading into 2023.
Garth Thomas