If it sounds like a [6]…
[Video]
[6.67]
Oliver Maier: “Must Be,” like much of J-Hus’ music, feels so summery that you’d be forgiven for missing the shadow it casts. That’s largely down to JAE5’s textured, cinematic beats, the ideal complement for Jallow’s buttery singing voice and confident flows. The latter takes the opportunity here to rap in streams of consciousness, projecting bravado but heavy with paranoia in each line.
[8]
Alfred Soto: J Hus’ languid lope rides on the beat instead of fighting it, and the sax solo is among the least egregious I’ve heard on a pop song.
[6]
Thomas Inskeep: The super-smoothness of this throws me — the contrast of the track (and that sax!) against J Hus’s delivery is a little confusing — but it works somehow. Helluva way to make a comeback.
[6]
Katherine St Asaph: A blend of the futuristic (or maybe just the Futuristic) and the retro; producer JAE5’s arrangement of sax, bass, and strings is dapper and shimmery and appealingly off-trend.
[7]
Edward Okulicz: I gave this extra points because I thought he was saying “you’re Gucci by association.” The slow jam sax confirmed that this was a correct decision.
[7]
Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: The “tion”-storm on the second verse is a bit on the nose, but otherwise “Must Be” goes down smooth — J Hus’ raps are forceful enough to bolster the smooth afroswing vocals and saxophone. It’s an effortless flex of a song, a demonstration of evident skill that doesn’t have much deeper meaning behind it.
[6]