Boulevards is from Raleigh, North Carolina and maybe the past, too. His fashion sense screams throwback (something he attributes to his father), while his music sounds like something Bootsy Collins kicked off Parliament’s spaceship and into the 21st century.
“Got to Go” has a playful sound that crosses between early ’90s hip-hop, recent Pharrell or Mark Ronson hits, and ’70s and ’80s funk. When you watch the video to the song, you realize it does seem to fit 2016, but so many elements recall a previous era reincarnated by Boulevards’ turtlenecks, classic denim, ’80s dance moves, and this song’s pleasant infectiousness. It starts with a straightforward beat and a high-riding, slapped bass before keys and vocals kick in. The song bounces and incites even the most beat-oblivious listeners to a dance. It sticks to pop songwriting form and is simplistic, catchy, and fleeting (it only lasts 2:08). It’s a feel-good jam that should be played at every block party from here on out — and so it shall be.