If you’re anything like me, your favorite record from OnCue is pretty dependent on your mood in the moment. And, ever the enigmatic artist, Cuey pretty much has a track out there that’ll speak to whatever emotion you’re experiencing. You want to be sad? He’s got you. Ready to get hyped up? No problem. Trying to get a bit introspective? You won’t have to dig too deep to discover what you’re looking for. Now, having said that, “No Saint” may actually be the best release from OnCue yet.
Who knows, maybe I’m caught up in the newness of it. Maybe it’s just speaking to me on a different level right now because of where I’m at in this moment in time. But, whatever the reason, “No Saint” feels special.
With eerie production from Billy Wonka and LifeofTheo casting a cloak of darkness over Cuey’s prose, “No Saint” erupts in the form of a sonic purge. This one was necessary – I mean, they all are, but “No Saint” is a moment of healing, a necessary release in order for the man behind the music to continue moving forward. If you’ve ever sat in an Ayahuasca ceremony, “No Saint” is face in the bucket, letting all the unnecessary weight you’ve been carrying leaving your physical. It’s not the “cure,” by any means, and there is still the real work left to be done. But “No Saint” is the acknowledgment – it’s looking in the mirror and accepting the darkness in order to bring light into it.
“No Saint” is an internal examination, it’s a personal record that sees OnCue mindfully realizing the various ways his internal battles manifest in his physical world. It’s simple, powerful and, yes, it’s still a bop. Listeners will feel the impassioned release, the emotive drive and focus that allows OnCue to see the light through the darkness. This is a lesson in acceptance and a lesson in healing.
Directed by Colin Shepard, the visual treatment is one of isolation. The weather cast over the environment could not be more appropriate, as the elements of stormy darkness hang overhead. OnCue has noted this may be that last video to accompany his new music for a bit, due to all that’s going on in the world, and the timing of “No Saint” is morbidly perfect.
“No Saint” is available now on all your favorite streaming platforms.
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