After a stream of singles in the past couple of years, Cael Dadian has established his take on the neo-soul subcategory of sound, smooth and grounded, he relays romance, heartbreak, and longing through an easygoing swing mimicking the flow of the genre. In his most recent single “Crumbs” the rising artist hides behind the reality of a one-sided relationship, lured by small and inconsistent gestures magnifying that gaze with which he holds onto his person. His flowing versus, uninterrupted by his assertiveness to avoid the inevitable, glow like a track about falling in love but when you read between the lines, the rising artist seems to be grasping at a love that just won’t love him back.

The song acts as a guidebook for a “heart on my sleeve” mentality, built through flirtatious piano chords and a sultry bass. Dadian’s airy vocals remain unashamed, choosing to love this person despite their empty promises and noncommittal actions, for better or for worse, he says “Ain’t much but you still became my favorite thing. Your crumbs are better than the whole bakery.” Glowing over lazy waves of a soft drum synth, his vocals fade into the instrumental the same way the rest of the world blurs around that one person you just can’t get your mind off.

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