Touting soulful vocals and an engaging, late-night soundscape, “Powder Keg” is a stirring track from Dev Lee, an artist from Dallas, Texas. Lee describes “Powder Keg” as “a song about starting over, and all of the hardships that follow.” Starting with mellow and accessible vibes reminiscent of James Blake and The xx, “Powder Keg” expands with vigor thereafter. The vocals fade around 01:40 in favor of atmospheric guitar fragments, which glide melodically as ruminating percussion intensifies in the background. An intense rhythmic and synth-driven expansion at 02:24 marks the track’s second life, a lively electro-pop feeling that impresses with its melody and ability to brighten while maintaining the track’s initial nocturnal feel. “Powder Keg” is a great introduction to Dev Lee’s talents.
