Rob Sky seizes the day and night with “What’s Left of Me”. A stylistic tour de force, Rob Sky incorporates a wide swath of genres into a sound that is uniquely his own. Dubstep, pop, R&B and EDM merge into a unified soulful whole. By far the highlight comes from Rob Sky’s uncanny knack for storytelling. Exploring the tender side of things, Rob Sky dissects the ups and downs of relationships, the love with the loss. Over the course of the album Rob Sky plays with listener expectations, offering a series of heartfelt ode to what it means to build up a life with a love.
Gorgeous lush production helps to tie the whole of the journey together. Featuring highly intricate arrangements at times his ear for melody feels particularly well-attuned. Throughout the entire album Rob Sky draws liberally from similarly minded groups, like from the Internet’s atmospheric funk of “Hive Mind”. By utilizing a thematic consistency, an ebb and flow that follows searching for deeper meaning within life, the songs positively teem with a sense of optimism. Even amongst the darkest interludes of the album a certain amount of light shines through showing a path forward.
After the tension-filled instrumental introduction of “In the Zone” which nicely incorporates a sample from the Twilight Zone, things start in earnest with “Ignore Me”. Crisp production bounces along as the track taps into a sense of sadness as a relationship has come to an end. Going for a pure celebration the powerful “Doin’ It Right” feels so infectious with its unstoppable grooves. Rob Sky lets every single flourish help in embodying true passion. Pulling things back with a stop-start rhythm is the funky fuzzed out synthesizers of “Start This Over”. By far the heart and soul of the album comes from the sparkling ballad of “Wait for You”.
“If I Say Yes” possesses a tremendous buildup with lyrics that explore how a relationship blooms in tremendous color. Highly emotive, Rob Sky’s vocals are fire as they express a sense of desire. A funhouse mirrors nicely anchors the wild, animal spirit of the bass drops of “Outta My Way”. Such a crazed chaotic rush, “Outta My Way” seems to represent the best of a late-night rush. Effortlessly drawing from Daft Punk’s ability to merge dance and rock is the giddy attitude of “Don’t Stop”. With “What’s Left of Me” recalls the aftermath of a breakup, of what remains afterwards, the self-reflection and loneliness. Keeping things to the essentials is the heartfelt closer of “Strangers”.
“What’s Left of Me” shows off Rob Sky’s impeccable chops in crafting thoughtful kaleidoscopic pop that lingers in the mind.
