Single Release: "Looks That Kill" by Joshua Pascua
The Hamilton singer-songwriter debuts a new track, and announces much more to come.
Hamilton based singer-songwriter Joshua Pascua released his second single following his debut EP Empty Spaces. The new track "Looks That Kill", he wrote with his producer Shwah (@shwahofficial) in early October of 2020. The sensual R&B track sounds like an early Bruno Mars sample, and is reflective of the singer's heavy influences in pop and soul.
"It started off with just a guitar loop I made- added a bass line and some keys, and then I sent it over to Shwah who added the drums and the groovy rhythm," said Pascua. "Once the beat was finished, we came up with the words, tracked the vocals and then just mixed the whole track. The inspiration really came out of nowhere, I was just playing the guitar and created something I really liked, and then I just got the motivation to create what is now "Looks That Kill.""
The artist prefers to write songs from a stranger's perspective.
"I write my lyrics based off a whole different persona," said Pascua. "Like a story from another persons point of view. The lyrics on "Looks That Kill" are about a guy who sees a woman and is infatuated with her looks."
Pascua had the single produced by his friend and collaborator.
"I tracked the live instruments in my studio and then sent over the stems to my producer Shwah’s studio, where we tracked the vocals and did the final mix," said Pascua. "The whole process of creating the song didn’t take long. The guitar, bass and keys took a couple tries to record- it took one session to get all the vocals completed, and the final mix probably just a couple hours. The thing about recording to me is that you got to have fun with it and love doing it, work with people you vibe with and who are hard working. Working with Shwah and recording with him was an incredible experience, he’s super easy to work with, has years of production and mixing experience and just a great guy overall."
The single takes influence from R&B and pop styles, as opposed to the funk Pascua mainly performs.
"Before I dropped the song I showed it to a handful of my close friends to get their feedback, and they all loved it!" said Pascua. "It’s a totally different sound from the funk music they usually hear me play during live performances, but they all enjoyed listening and vibing to it."
The artist says that "Looks That Kill" is just one of the many songs he's planning on releasing in the near future.
"I’ll say it here first- I'll be dropping a new record every single month!" said Pascua. "I’m working hard to make the best music I can for everyone to listen to and enjoy. I want my music to be the reason people smile, I want my music to get people moving and dancing.
Keep your eyes peeled for a new song set to be released next month, this time featuring both the singer and his producer.
"Next month in December Shwah and I will be dropping two new singles, so be on the look out for that!"
Upcoming gigs:
(Postponed due to COVID-19.)