Touch Me Where the Metaphors Bloom: Dana Kinsey, Angel Rafael, and Mike Alexander Craft a Lush Spoken-Jazz Tapestry
- Editorial Board
- May 10
- 2 min read
A meditation on desire, poetry, and the sensual edge of jazz by the trio.
"Touch Me" by Dana Kinsey featuring Angel Rafael and Mike Alexander is not a typical single. It feels like a living poem set to music, a private ritual shared through sound. The piece floats between spoken word and jazz, balancing intimacy, rhythm, and storytelling with exceptional control.
Kinsey delivers each line like a velvet ribbon being unspooled. She speaks, never sings, but the phrasing carries musicality. The recurring “Touch me like…” forms a spine of sensual metaphors. Barry Bonds’ homerun, Coltrane’s sax, Prince’s crushed velvet, a Tom Ford suit, the veil of Veronica — each reference is symbolic, intentional, and richly human. The lyrics do not rely on cliché. Instead, they summon image after image that lingers and builds into something more emotional than logical.
Angel Rafael produces a space that breathes. The instrumentation is smooth and restrained. Jazz-inflected keys, tight percussion, and a sense of atmospheric calm define the sound. Jabin Baxter’s drums are subtle and grounded. Rafael’s own percussion textures add movement without crowding the moment. Ian Cornele’s mix centers Kinsey’s voice with purpose. Byron Morrison’s mastering gives the entire track a soft analog glow.
Mike Alexander’s trumpet is key. It floats through the track like smoke. It listens, then speaks.
His phrasing carries the same elegance and mystery as the vocals, offering contrast without pulling focus. He enhances the experience instead of decorating it.
This is a song to sit with. It rewards slow listening. The pacing is intentional. The structure avoids repetition by leaning into tone, texture, and timing. It is poetry first, jazz second, but the marriage of the two creates something rare.
"Touch Me" is about longing. Not just physical, but spiritual. It reaches for connection, memory, presence. The work is simple, but the effect is strong. The language is literary. The music is cinematic. The experience is intimate and thrilling.
Do not forget to follow Dana Kinsey on Instagram and listen to her on all streaming platforms.
