Berlin-based German-Cameroonian artist Devantier Rain delivers a haunting introduction with ‘MONSTER‘, the opening track of his forthcoming album ‘MELATONIN‘. Blending rap, R&B, and splashes of psychedelic soul, the track feels almost weightless, anchored by stripped-back production and intimate lyrics that read like a message left unsent. Devantier lays bare his exploration of emotional distance, the quiet ache of watching someone turn into a stranger.

Produced in the intimacy of celest*’s Berlin home studio, ‘MONSTER‘ pulses with an unspoken vulnerability, as if we’re eavesdropping on a late-night confession. Jazz drums intermingle with woozy bass guitar riffs and airy synthlines to create a sparse yet atmospheric soundscape. At times, the guitar punches in with a sense of urgency that creates a nice ebb and flow with the track’s otherwise laid-back tempo. Devantier floats over the production with his silky smooth, emotive vocals.

The song’s melancholic soundscape deepened when Devantier shared it with longtime collaborator Tamaerebi during a London visit. Tamaerebi’s verse threads through the track like a fever dream, adding an eerie tenderness that feels both spontaneous and inevitable. “For me, ‘MONSTER‘ is about the chaos we create for ourselves  the beauty in surrendering to it,” Tamaerebi explains, offering a counterpoint to Devantier’s raw introspection.

The way in which Devantier‘s vulnerability becomes a quiet act of defiance, hints at MELATONIN’s promise to unearth beauty in the shadows. This track showed a real range along with compelling storytelling. I’m sure the upcoming album will offer more unashamedly honest lyricism, seductive vocals, and moodily atmospheric production. For fans of: The Weeknd, Khamari, 6LACK