B-Side Guys

There’s a certain irony in creating something beautiful about something corrosive. ABSYTE’s collaboration with Nyla Kwaga, “Cigar En Bouche,” manages precisely this paradox—wrapping cautionary wisdom in seductive sonic packaging.

The track reveals itself gradually, opening with jazz-inflected instrumentation that establishes immediate atmospheric density. Horn samples flutter between precisely programmed percussion, creating negative space that ABSYTE’s vocals eventually occupy with measured intensity. This production approach—merging organic instrumental elements with contemporary beat construction—reflects the song’s thematic territory: the uncomfortable intersection of artistry and industry.

What distinguishes “Cigar En Bouche” from typical industry critiques is its refusal to romanticize either side of the equation. When ABSYTE warns about the music business’s perilous nature, it comes across not as bitter disillusionment but as clear-eyed observation. The track functions as demystification rather than glorification—addressing the stark reality behind the glossy façade that many aspirational artists envision.

Kwaga’s featured vocals provide crucial counterpoint, offering textural variation that prevents the track from becoming didactic. Her contributions shift the composition’s temperature at precisely the right moments, creating emotional complexity that mirrors the song’s nuanced perspective on artistic pursuit.

The production merges conscious hip-hop’s truth-telling tradition with jazz fusion’s improvisational spirit, resulting in something that feels simultaneously structured and fluid. This approach creates sonic breathing room for contemplation—appropriate for material asking listeners to reconsider entrenched assumptions about musical careers.

Released during an era when social media has further complicated artistic authenticity and success metrics, “Cigar En Bouche” arrives as both timely commentary and timeless warning. For those navigating music’s increasingly precarious landscape, ABSYTE offers neither easy answers nor simplistic condemnation—just honest smoke signals from someone who’s witnessed the industry’s hidden machinery firsthand.