Le Sonic Releases “I’ll Be the One” (feat. Lauran Beluzo & Robert Lee)

Le Sonic’s latest single release “I’ll Be the One” continues riding the same creative high that the duo of Mike Rogers and Gary Lefkowith have enjoyed since the twosome’s debut “Any Moment” shot up to Billboard’s Smooth Jazz chart top spot. Plying their musical trade in a cultural hinterland like smooth jazz may seem like anything but a recipe for success, but they’ve proven popular misconceptions inapplicable to their art. Part of the reason is, of course, the inherent quality of their songwriting. Smooth jazz, heavy metal, country, Romanian folk music, it doesn’t matter, a good song will stand out. “I’ll Be the One” is one of the best songs you’ll hear this year.

Another important part of the song’s success, however, are its partners. Lefkowith and Rogers have partnered with Robert Lee, guitarist, and Lauren Beluzo on vocals to help push “I’ll Be the One” over the top. They’ve met their goals without ever sounding ostentatious. They’ve got the chops to show off. Instead, you hear Le Sonic serving the song every second of the performance and, in particular, making the most possible out of its melodic attributes.

The interplay between the drums, piano, and Beluzo’s vocals are effective. You never get any sense of the musicians stepping on each other’s figurative toes; there’s ample room for this song to breathe. The assortment of small, almost imperceptible, spaces present throughout “I’ll Be the One” is arguably one of its underrated strengths and helps sustain it through multiple listens. Condensing these musical strands in a single well-focused package, it never overextends itself, is one of its primary achievements.

The lyrics are conversational without ever sounding inarticulate. They aren’t treated as an afterthought, perhaps a forgotten aspect of the style is how much its best example valued the lyrical contributions, and Beluzo sings with a combination of emotion and technical skill. It’s a rare balancing act. It isn’t a style of music that necessarily demands its singers achieve what rock fans might associate with “believability”, but rather maintain a certain performance standard. Beluzo definitely does that. Everything else is gravy.

It’s a further sign of glories to come. Le Sonic has the necessary gifts to continue making waves in the music world with each new release, an even more impressive feat given their musical style, and who knows where they might take their sound in the future. They have the tools to do whatever they like. The base sound they offer is clear, professional, and doesn’t sound overly rehearsed.

We can expect work of this caliber from Le Sonic for years to come. It’s the natural byproduct of two superb songwriters who understand the fundamentals of excellent writing as well as a modern sound. It may exist in a tightly defined genre, but “I’ll Be the One” has a thoroughly modern sound rather than relying on retro callbacks to retain listener’s attention. It’s as beautifully wrought and powerful as singles come nowadays and the next logical step in Le Sonic’s continuing rise. 

Nicole Killian