Makaya McCraven – Universal Beings

I'm torn about McCraven. I like the dedication, the raw poetry and the muscular energy of his music. It‘s truly breathing the joy of creation!

But I don‘t know. Sometimes, his grooves are so thick and the vibe so masculine that it sounds like a heavy dude fart hanging in the air in a club, sabotaging the romantic tension between two lovers. I mean, who wants to smell a bro fart when you want to enjoy a deeper connection? This is the feeling I get from his style. I want to dig his enthusiam and artistry, but there I am, suddenly thinking:

"Sounds like pressure farting in a sticky room."

And then I have this vivid image in my mind: two young lovers with pleasently adult sensibilities visiting a McCraven Live Performance. Enjoying the lifestyle attitude of the place. McCraven starting to play with his band. Getting more intense. Starting to improvise, riding the moment. Air getting thick with excitment. And then all that masculine energy floods like a sweaty fart wave over the audience. The lovers are engulfed. BUT! Her guy is loving it! He is hypnotised by the heavy drum grooves and alpha male energy! ... and she's subtly turned off. Observing the transformation of her man. Like he's back in college, dwelling in those sticky dorm rooms again, playing beer pong and smoking dope. A rather unexpected regress indeed! But she plays along in the bro fart atmosphere. Nodding her head to the beat. Dancing with a forced smile. Would be strange to stop having fun on a nice evening, wouldn‘t it? So outwardly, everyone has fun, and they DO have fun! Yet inside, there is this tiny residue of disgust. But she can’t put a finger on it. Then, witnessing her spellbound boyfriend, a thought intrudes her mind:

„He REALLY enjoys farting.“

Well, of course he does, but the sudden flash of insight hits her with unpleasent force. Like a squirmy idea you don’t want to have, but can’t stop thinking about. The gig goes on, and in the end, it‘s really nothing serious at all. The love will not fade. Of course it won‘t! But after the night ends, the creeping rift between them will linger for a few days. Erotic tension might be a bit subdued. „What‘s wrong?“ „Oh nothing, just too much work...“. The emotional corrosion will hang in the air like, yeah, a stubborn fart. Then everything will get back to normal for the two lovers, because time will sweep that smelly episode unter the rug of oblivion. And so their adult progress can continue.

Well, I don‘t know what to make of my reaction. It‘s definitely not McCravens fault, but mine. Because really, he‘s creating beautiful music. It‘s all just a bit…bro farty, you know?