Ominously drifting into focus, there isn’t much time between the introduction of the melody in “Aruba” and the arrival of its venomous verses from Done Wright, but in these brief moments, we’re given special access into a world of darkness that will become all too difficult to escape in the next three minutes. In both the music video for “Aruba” and the song on its own, there’s a sense of fearlessness that shadows every word, and every beat, that comes in our direction. Whether it be the result of the swaggering command in Done Wright’s lyrical assault or the luxurious feel of the visuals that fill our screen when watching the music video, there’s something bound to keep your attention here regardless of your passion for hip-hop.
This rhythm is pretty relaxed on the instrumental front; from where I sit, all of the urgency in “Aruba” is sourced from the vocal, which Done Wright delivers to us with consistent panache throughout the song. There’s never a moment in which he sounds even remotely jaded or unaware of his melodic surroundings; he’s playing off of the beat and creating a moderate harmony from the get-go here.
While there are a lot of interesting rappers breaking into the game at the moment, I haven’t heard many that present themselves with the caliber of confidence this player does in his most recent release. Simply put, “Aruba” feels like a statement of self far more than it does a typical rap single.
A jam made specifically for cruising after dark, “Aruba” is a killer feature in Done Wright’s discography and a fun way of getting to know his artistry and the kind of groove-centric tunes it can produce. Done Wright is coming up in what is becoming one of the more exciting scenes to follow in the country right now, but even with all of the magic coming from a lot of his peers both young and old this autumn being taken into account, there’s something really special about the sound he’s produced for us here. I like what I’m hearing in his work, and I think most hip-hop fans are going to feel the same.
