One of the most-influential artists of the last generation, Frank Ocean deserves every single one of his flowers. On “sands,” singer/songwriter Alex Oliva pays homage to Ocean in a way that’s both appreciative and full of storytelling. “sands” is a song that’s based on Ocean and his life. While Oliva could’ve gone a different direction on this one, I appreciate that things never wade into the schmaltzy territory. Yes, you can tell there’s a heavy Frank Ocean influence to this song and Oliva as an artist. However, it’s not imitation.

There’s flattery here, but it’s the truly sincere form of it–the form that makes you take note of a great while also checking out a potential future great. I love the production here and Oliva’s vocals are, in three words, so damn good. If you want some alt-R&B that takes you back to the 2010s without sounding like a carbon copy, I recommend checking this one out. One thing stands true for all of his sounds, though: Alex Oliva puts his foot, heart and soul into his music. I say that because Oliva has some other tracks available and they’re all different from each other sonically, but thematically have similarities. Without giving too much away, his songs–specifically the two-pack of “sands” and “Wish I Had”–feature some incredibly done storytelling and heartfelt vocals. One thing stands true for all, though: Alex Oliva puts his foot, heart and soul into his music.

Check out “sands” below and remember to support dope music in all its forms.