On “The Power to Be Alive”, Chords of Truth blend harmonious folk-pop and edgy hip-hop for one of the most unique sounds you’ll hear. The vocals alternate on “The Power to Be Alive” between the tranquil Cat Stevens-like wisdom of Jason Garriotte (aka Chords of Truth) and punchy hip-hop adornments of Connecticut rapper Man-U-Ill. The two vocalists give the track a special character. When the hip-hop delivery expands around 01:50, the stylistic cohesion is fully apparent, as the rapping flows perfectly over the hazy synth and guitar-infused backing instrumentation. It’s another success for Chords of Truth, who released the debut acoustic-folk EP Reflections of Reality before the recent remix projects, where the original seven songs transformed into 57 new interpretations. You can watch the video for “The Power to Be Alive” above, its concept being “the bringing together of the city and nature for a new perspective on well known musical styles,” according to Garriotte.
