Silas Short's “GUY (Karriem Riggins Remix)” is a slow bleed--emotional, careful, and full of restraint. The Stones Throw Records signee moves in loops here, folding in on himself, letting the weight of his words press gently into every phrase. The repeated refrain--“Girl you know I’m not that guy”--lands like something rehearsed in private. Repeated in the mirror for clarity and maybe a shot of confidence.
His falsetto stays soft, barely touching the surface. His phrasing has a millimeter-above-the-ground lift to it but doesn't drown in the instrumental. There’s tension in the way he lingers on certain vowels--almost like he’s watching the words evaporate shortly after they hit the air. There’s little urgency in his tone, but it’s far from indifferent, even when the message starts to bend.
Karriem Riggins reshapes the track into something sparse and vapor-lit. The live-sounding drums shuffle in staggered phrase--purposely landing in a jumble at the top of the bar, followed by near silence. A closed hi-hat holds time while brushed snares and short kicks fall in and out. Piano clusters and half-lit vibraphone licks meander across the beat, stretch wide, and then disappear.
This is jazz, but it’s also dressed like a break-up-to-make-up R&B gem from decades ago. And Silas Short delivers it all with just enough weight to keep this breezy remix from floating away.
Mugs, t-shirts,
hoodies, vinyls & more.
