Minimalist Production Meets Cultural Depth in a Lush Debut
Renao’s debut album, Still Life, is a quiet antidote to overstimulattion amidst the chaos of online life. With 13 tracks and a runtime of 33 minutes, this indie R&B album manages to fit a range of emotions over soft piano and mellifluous vocals. The album is paired with a set of four videos – each were shot entirely in India. Renao’s roots as a Bangalore artist are particularly evident with each of these videos. His music reflects influences from Frank to modern desi artists.
Still Life, Renao’s debut album, opens with “Sweetest Star,” arguably Still Life’s edgiest track. Renao’s vocals are smooth, and the lyrics feel confessional. What makes Renao’s work so authentic is his incorporation of Desi instrumentals and vocals in the background of a much more modern sounding track. In interviews, he is vocal about using his work to bridge the gap between Western alt-R&B and Desi roots. Renao is aiming to create a space for young Desi listeners to feel represented. You can feel this particularly in his opening track “Sweetest Star” and closing track “Broadway Night”.
“Runtime” is a particular standout. Balancing soft melodic tones with enough momentum to keep listeners engaged is easy, but Renao manages this with ease. While Still Life is an album defined by minimalist production, “Runtime” has beautiful layering.
The music video for “Storm Ride” is a highlight of Still Life. Featuring beautiful, muted blues and oranges – a potential nod to his previous EP, A Space Between Orange & Blue, released in 2023. In it, Renao is captured in a soft focus, walking streets in a lakeside town in India before appearing alone on a paddleboard, the camera pulling back to capture him from a bird’s eye view. Placed in the middle of the album, “Storm Ride” is also a vocal highlight. Renao eases into a delicate higher register, blurring the line between confidence and vulnerability. These vocals are reminiscent of Zayn’s softer hits like “Stardust” off Room Under the Stars, but with an added vulnerability.
Compared to the rest of the album, “Take A Bow” feels more studio-crafted, emphasizing playful instrumentals. This softness does not feel vulnerability; it feels carefully sculpted by Renao and his producers. Yet, it is no less authentic. “Take a Bow” feels like a cathartic journal entry made public.
One of the writing credits on “Broadway Night” belongs to Abhi Raju from the duo Abhi/Dijon. (Abhi/Dijon were a pop/R&B duo known for their production. Dijon eventually went on to work with top artists like Charli XCX, Bon Iver and Justin Bieber). This is not surprising considering the lyrics of the track to be rawest on the album. There is something cosmic about “Broadway Night” – this could be the Desi vocals at the end – or it could be the lyrics, but it is clear that this is the perfect way to end Still Life.
Along with the album, Renao released four fragmented music videos that share similar hazy, desaturated visuals. Renao’s previous work shares a similar aesthetic in a way that reflects artistic preference.
One of Renao’s greatest strengths in the past has always been his production. The songs he’s written and produced solo in the past are some of his best works. While the collaborations on Still Life are beautiful, a few solo-production tracks would have added an extra layer of personability and intimacy to the album.
This is a strong debut album by Renao. His vocals, the production, and the Desi inspired instrumentals all contribute to the dreamy, soft sound of Still Life. A love letter to his roots, this album captures both where he comes from and where he is headed as an artist.
Contributed Photo/Renao Album Instagram
