Cocoelusive flips Dua Lipa but her own melodies stand out on ‘Your Ways.’

Cocoelusive’s music was born from retreating into an interior universe. Growing up in an environment where her ADD and dyslexia caused friction and social anxiety, Cocoelusive found healing by building a sanctuary – her bedroom and the sounds she created there – where her creativity could find flow and flourish without restriction. ‘Your Ways’ is a window into that world. 

The fifth in a line of singles Cocoelusive released from these introspective sessions leading to her Project EP, ‘Your Ways’ follows ‘LoveJam,’ another hazy R&B  track that’s been building buzz for the Cape Verdean/Portuguese singer-songwriter. Cocoelusive’s sound reflects the mode of her composition, created in a space away from structures that clashed with the way her mind works. The result is music that floats, suspended in that intimate internal zone. 

On ‘Your Ways’, the minimal arrangement and sparse production leaves all the focus on her voice, a honey tone with mesmerizing vibrato. Cocoelusive has a gift for melody: although she briefly borrows from Dua Lipa’s Don’t Start Now, it’s her own ideas that shine, particularly the hooky melody that ends the chorus. The heavy use of reverb builds out the atmosphere of the song, leaning toward psychedelia with echoed vocals on the bridge. Though Cocoelusive’s sound is raw, ‘Your Ways’ is a strong start and promises big things from this artist.