Ripsy May has been gathering steady buzz since the middle of last year after her demo of tender acoustic ballad ‘I’ll Understand’ got people talking. At the core of the song was a broken hearted lyricist looking for forgiveness, and with a chorus of “I couldn't be anybody else’s woman, I hope you’ll understand”, its poignant plea definitely leaves an impression. Her latest jam ‘Black Wine’ then, is a change in direction, taking on new 808 drums and synth shivers for her battered acoustic guitar with fragile coolness still lingering. Based on a poem that she had previously written about race, the LA-based singer says “'Black Wine’ is essentially my word for propaganda. Sometimes people are a little too drunk on it”. It takes great music to sometimes make us enjoy and reflect on life at the same time.

-DW