I’m a sucker for when the world of classical instrumentals clash with the pop world. Both are polar opposites of one another but crash together to form a euphonic collision of epic proportions that always leaves me floored. There’s even comparisons between Beethoven and Kanye West with both being born nearly 200 years apart yet changed the game in similar ways, breaking all the rules and ceilings surround them to allow their artistic vision to shine. All of that is why I became enamoured by Ike Rhein’s latest drop because although there’s only a select number of classical strings used during the opening, there’s still this air of majesty from the way the piano keys dance with traditional pop influenced beats.

Violin is slick, memorable and compelling from start to finish. The opening brings you into the his world all before we’re greeted by his intimate vocal display that croons his diary entry lyrics through a myriad of enticing hooks. That’s become a staple of Rhein’s sound as of late, memorable hooks with open-letter lyrics. He doesn’t disguise his emotion behind an upbeat melody and instead lets us know his honest opinion about love and relationships. In some he shows his openness to find love but here he shows us the more selfish side that will stick with you long after the single finishes playing.