Sly yet more than inviting and warm beside the melodic components in the track, the beat in Rick Dorn’s new single “Great Things” is undisputedly a cornerstone of the track’s most cathartic lines and eruptive moments of emotionality. Framing a lush vocal harmony and a jazz-inspired bass element in the background, the percussion in this song pulsates more than it pushes anything into place, and provides us with a surprisingly physical presence in the master mix for how subtle its movements tend to be. “Great Things” is in some ways a single defined by a groove, or more specifically, the way this singer and songwriter utilizes it.
Aside from the rhythm of the music, there’s no arguing whether or not Rick Dorn’s vocal is the most stunning and heart-melting component for us to behold here. His voice allows for the lyrics to sink into our soul as we hear them in real time, and although he modulates throughout the performance to give a little thunder back to the band, there’s never a moment in which we have any doubts as to who the real star of this show is. Dorn is a force to be reckoned with, both in the studio and on the small club stage he occupies in the music video.
The lyrical content to “Great Things” has a strong gospel bend, but the harmonies that are ultimately tasked with conveying the narrative unto us are what give both the song and its companion video an equally powerful secular appeal. No matter what god you do or don’t believe in, there’s no resisting the sizzle of the swaying beat in this track once you’ve heard it for the first time. Between Dorn’s fantastic serenade and the sonic value of the instrumentation behind him, this is one single that was designed to make any passerby fall in love with the melody right there on the spot.
Rick Dorn drops another chill-inducing slow jam upon the world in this all-new single/video combo, and in short, if you don’t give it a close listen before the summer concludes you’ll be doing yourself a great disservice as an R&B fan. “Great Things” has the bones of a ballad and the soul of a pop anthem, and with the right exposure on the mainstream side of the dial, I think it has the opportunity to bring this singer all of the attention he rightfully deserves.