The vibe infused on "Guided," the newest single from Sister Stone, effortlessly fuses 1990s and early-2000s R&B and hip-hop elements with an old-timey spiritual center. The song features relaxed, irreverent vocals and blink-and-you’ll-miss-em samples of retro boom-bap rhythms, creating a wistfully old-school and fresh sound.
Thick basslines pair with spare guitar licks as warm organ pads and subtle percussion gesture toward rootsier kin. Taped in the otherworldly mountain hamlet of Tepoztlan, Mexico, Guided transports you via its live production and its earthly reverence. Everything, from the subtle vinyl crackling to the seamless transitions, adds to an atmosphere that feels simultaneously loose and purposeful, as if every note is part of a mournful ritual and a jubilant celebration at once.
In “Guided,” she connects with other seekers, depicting her devotion to the Creator as a mutual adventure. The “medicine music” of the single is apparent in equal amounts of introspection and elevation. The music is an aural salve, meant to echo not just in the headphones, but in the heart, a reminder that art is as much individual confession as communal assembly.
“Guided” is an unusual statement of purpose: The traditions of music have the power to feed the body, inspire the spirit, and unite people across time and the globe. As we embark on this groove journey, they are reminded that the best advice usually comes from the back of a groove, and when it does, it’s revolutionary.