When listening to ‘120’ by Sonny Miles, my body evolves into a state of being gelatinously unhinged. A pleasant draft of the percussion limbs triggers free form movement in my limbs, unable to cease until the breeze does. Background vocals are grounded until they are thrust to the forefront by the motion of the drums. The expression in Sonny’s voice in the chorus is liberating, not resisting the feelings of love that he wants to return “you want me to love you/ain’t trying to fight it tho.” However, there is a tone switch once the background falls and falters at the end of the chorus.
The alluring instrumentation becomes still, and the mask is unveiled, showing a man who is genuinely hurt. The writing here is that of a magician, step by step, nothing out of the ordinary, yet he who holds your gaze as he progresses. Slick couplets, “Far as I’ve shown been far from defeat/Far as you know, I’ve been whole and complete,” start the unveiling process. Love is harmful, and he is a victim of it, “removing our disguises/painkillers for our vices.” But it’s something he’ll gamble on again and again, especially when its worth is low.
