A Review of Campana – ‘ROPE’ (feat. Dave Shanaé & Dave B.)

Campana’s ‘ROPE’ is a lush, deeply emotive journey through the crevices of vulnerability — equal parts groove and gravity.

The Seattle-based genre-blender pulls threads of Hip Hop, R&B/Soul, and Jazz-Funk into a rich, spacious soundscape that feels fluid and intentional, creating a track that walks the line between heavy themes and affirmation.

Opening with warm, reverb-kissed keys and fluid bass undercurrents, ‘ROPE’ immediately sinks into a meditative pocket. Campana’s vocal is intimate and clear, threading poetic metaphors around emotional unraveling with an honesty that feels lived-in. The titular metaphor — a rope as emotional tether — is handled delicately, speaking to moments of mental chaos, miscommunication, and the quiet power of being held through it. The refrain, ‘You make me better,’ cuts straight through the arrangement with unforced sincerity — not as grand declaration but quiet realisation.

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Dave Shanaé brings a silky counterpoint, her tone weaving in subtle inflections that enrich the track’s harmonic textures, while Dave B.’s verse adds rhythmic bounce and a grounded, narrative-focused presence. Together, the trio balance light and weight with masterful control, nodding to genre innovators like Smino and Noname without ever slipping into mimicry.

There’s a clear evolution here from Campana’s COSMOS-era momentum to his solo work — the sonic world of ‘ROPE’ feels more refined, more internal. It’s a track that understands restraint, allowing space for the groove to breathe and for the emotional weight to settle gently.

Lifted from the forthcoming READY FOR MORE, ‘ROPE’ signals an artist in full bloom. Campana has long been a staple of the Pacific Northwest scene, but here he transcends regional influence. This is soul work disguised as a slow jam — music for the moments when you're barely holding on, and someone reminds you it’s okay to be caught.