Track Review: Chloe x Halle, "Do It"
A few weeks ago, Chloe x Halle released the first song off of their upcoming sophomore album, Ungodly Hour. The bouncy track, a collaboration with Swae Lee and Mike WiLL Made-It titled "Catch Up," saw the sister duo shifting to a more mainstream approach but still staying true to their unique original sound. Their new single, "Do It," is a slam dunk; it's the perfect mixture of all of their influences and a seamless transition into mainstream pop and R&B. Chloe x Halle are known for writing and producing most of their own music, so two consecutive high-profile collaborations definitely marks a new era for them. The duo branched out Victoria Monét and Scott Storch for writing and production collaboration, respectively. Victoria Monét has been responsible for some of the biggest hits of the past few years (Ariana Grande's "thank u, next" and "7 rings") and her own releases in 2020 ("Moment" and "Dive") have been among the year's best. Her ear for palatable pop hooks and expressive R&B arrangements made her a perfect match to help bring Chloe x Halle to the next level. Scott Storch, on the other hand, was responsible for the production behind some of Beyoncé's earliest hits ("Baby Boy" and "Me, Myself and I") and just last year, he lent his talents to tracks on Summer Walker's Over It ("Anna Mae," "I'll Kill You") and Chris Brown's Indigo ("Undecided," "Early 2k"). Most recently, he's seen a resurgence in online popularity thanks to his viral VERZUZ battle with Mannie Fresh.
Having these two minds work with Chloe x Halle's genius has resulted in their strongest single yet. Over a stuttering trap&B bassline complete with sparkly synths, Chloe rap-sings about getting ready for a girls' night out and partying with her friends. The subject matter isn't the most innovative, but that slinky slice of pop perfection in the hook makes it sound revolutionary. The greatest thing about "Do It" is the verse distribution. While on "Catch Up" it felt like they struggled to give each vocalist time to shine, the divvying on "Do It" makes more sense. Chloe handles the verses and the primary harmony on the hook. Her smooth tone is perfect for the rap/sung cadence that those parts of the song use. Halle steps into the spotlight on the pre-chorus where her haunting tone chugs the song forward to that tight beat drop. The pre-chorus is highlighted by beautiful backing harmonies, vocal stacks, and finger snaps; there are also inflections of opera and jazz in Halle's voice that recall the duo's work on The Two of Us and The Kids Are Alright. The percussion breakdown on the bridge is also a nice touch that feels like a throwback, but also works as a look forward to what Chloe x Halle have in store. "Do It" has all the makings of a Song of the Summer™, we just need rona to go away to blast this with the top down!
Score: 80
