On his just-released single Toxic, Michael Kay reads from the chapters of a lethal love affair with a sultry R&b groove.
Michael Kay has shared Toxic, marking the last in a string of singles released by the Melbourne musician since late-2022. A sultry R&b cut drenched in swagger, Toxic coasts by on a groovy bassline courtesy of producers Ralph Tiller and Michael Kabondo, and rightfully forefronts Kay’s rich vocals. In between subtle trap bounces and twinkling backing keys, Kay sings of relinquishing a troublesome romance.
“This is war babe,” Kay croons in vocals reminiscent of Daniel Caesar, “don’t be acting shady because you made me.” After recalling “chapter one” of a blissful love affair complete with a “five-year plan,” Kay scrutinises the demise of his muse’s affection, with the simmering production punctuating his reflections on a “love [that] was damned.”
By the track’s end, Kay recounts each chapter of his relationship before ultimately prioritising his own focus over the toxicity of romantic game-playing. “This ain’t really working so I’m out the house,” he croons with a sense of finality. It’s the kind of soulful vocal delivery that could only be borne from first-hand experience, but Kay brings a universality to his musings on a love that “ends up in flames.”
While this penmanship is the undeniable drawcard of Toxic, there’s an effortless finesse to the track’s surrounding sound. Kay’s vocals wrap around the dynamic production with intoxicating effect, and the singer flits between cadences with the ease of any of his R&b contemporaries. Combining spacey synths with 808 drums and layered harmonies, Kay delivers a mid-tempo groove that belies the otherwise-searing lyricism.
Toxic follows the release of Summer, Candy, and DRIP, all of which form part of Kay’s project of successive standalone singles. “I’m so excited to finally start to release the surge of new music,” the Perth-based musician said in a press statement. “The last three singles and Toxic are just a sample of what’s to come.” Kay is currently in the process of writing and recording new music for his next project.
In the meantime, you can listen to Michael Kay’s simmering new single Toxic below.
