Blending a bit of a older-school sing-rap (think James Brown-era soul music) as well as well as an overall sound deeply entrenched in soul, funk and jazz, “Settle Down” is the SOTBMusic debut of Joshua Gellman. The British Columbia-based artist tells a pretty intriguing story of walking a friend back from the brink. Almost conversational in tone, “Settle” finds Gellman providing vocals that are husky and rich, but full of emotion so that you’re not hearing a deeper voice monotonously singing. They kind of remind me of a mix between Tom Waits and Bill Withers. This complements the jam band-meets-mid ’70s funk and R&B instrumentation. It’s energetic, but still very reserved and chill.

If you smoke to ease your mind (be it the tree or…that other one, the “cig” word), I could definitely see someone inhaling and mellowing out to this. I think that’s because “Settle Down,” when you put it all together, it’s almost like a therapy session of sorts. Gellman reminds his friend to not let the hate and anger win out. However, it’s less of a plea and more of a “hey, I understand, but you know what you need to do” sort of feel to the lyrics. After all, Gellman approaches his friend like an adult, or that therapist whose goal is to make you have a revelation. He sings calmly and gentle, but also without any real “kid gloves” in this particular instance.

Check out “Settle Down” above and support dope music in all its forms.