On “White Wine,” London-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Cyrano keeps his influences close to the vest. According to a Spotify playlist titled “White Wine ~ Behind the Track,” Cyrano cites cuts from Frank Ocean and The National among others as influences behind this particular song. While the lyrics certainly betray those influences on occasion, the sonic palette used blends them together enough to not make them discernible. Like getting lost in the wine and conversation mentioned in the lyrics, the referenced influences merge to create something that is closer to Flamingosis or the Rogues-produced track “Passionfruit.”
That’s not even mentioning the time of day that Cyrano was influenced by for this track. According to Genius, Cyrano says “there’s something quite alluring about those early hours; the ambiance and tranquility provides a soft focus, away from the modern-day distractions of the world’s routine.” The lyrics certainly call to mind those late-night conversations with recent acquaintances over drinks of choice, but the sound of the Fender Rhodes evokes the night sky. In some cases, this is a calming yet thought-provoking evocation (see: “Space Cowboy” by Jamiroquai). In others, this is an anxiety-inducing evocation (see: “Everything In Its Right Place” by Radiohead). For Cyrano, this is absolutely the former, but there are pings of the latter in the second pre-chorus.
Choosing the Fender Rhodes as the primary sound was an excellent choice for an artist pushing to create a nighttime mood, and adding the saxophone stylings of Jazzi Bobbi was a phenomenal choice as well. The lyrics betray both friendship and fear. The fact that Cyrano managed to do all of this in under three minutes blows my mind, and I’ve already added this to two of my primary playlists. I suggest you do the same.
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