Summer Rain by Paulo and the Problems – Funky Pie with Mekfly

WELCOME TO THAT SLOW BURN MIDNIGHT FEELING

Some nights don’t need a destination. You don’t need a plan, just a half-dead phone and someone who sees through the noise. Paulo Ward, the brain behind Paulo and the Problems, clearly knows the scene. With Summer Rain, his latest single featuring label mate Mekfly, he builds a mood and leaves the front door open. As Summer Rain unfolds with Paulo and the Problems, it’s clear that this track has more than just music going for it.

This is track two in the warm-up stretch for “Stupid Sexy Paulo”, dropping July 11th. The first single flirted with funk. This one leans in closer, whispering in your ear with retro R&B charm, jazz textures, a touch of hip-hop flow, and the kind of vocals that move through you like a thought you forgot to finish.

THE RAIN COMES WITH COMPANY

The lyrics walk right up and light a cigarette under the moon. “I just wanna dance with you, command with you / Enhance the view, make plans to move”. That’s a vibe in motion. The song plays like the soundtrack to every time you’ve locked eyes across the room and forgot what time it was. Paulo slips through genres like he’s late for something. One moment it’s old-school R&B, next it swerves into a smoky hip-hop corner, then glides through a jazzy solo without breaking stride. This track truly captures the essence of Summer Rain with Paulo and the Problems at its core.

The chorus hits like a blanket dropped on a beach at 3am: “Hold on, stay with me / Just take my hand and chase the breeze” I’ve heard plenty of summer tracks trying to fake intimacy. This one? It breathes real. It knows the difference between noise and silence – and chooses silence wrapped in melody.

NICOTINE, NICO, AND THAT BATTERY ABOUT TO DIE

This release rolls out with an animated visual series, starring the band’s oddly charismatic mascot, Nico. Yeah, they went there. A cartoon character helping to tell the story of an album about grown-up feelings. It works, oddly. I watched the official video twice. It feels like lo-fi rain sounds and neon reflections from a busted streetlight, introducing us to Paulo and the Problems with Summer Rain echoing its theme.

By the way, Paulo Ward isn’t just the frontman. He’s the producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, mixing and mastering engineer. And also the guy probably sweating over the EQ at 2AM because the hi-hat “still feels too polite.” He leads the Fogwood Records House Band like the guy who built the studio, wired the cables, then picked up the mic.

FINAL THOUGHTS FROM A WET PARK BENCH

Some tracks make you want to dance. Some make you want to text someone you shouldn’t. Summer Rain might do both. It’s wrapped in soul, touched by the groove, and feels like it’s chasing something tender without making a scene about it. Personally? I caught myself zoning out around the line: “Soul flame burning out my chest – how you feelin’ me” That one lingered. Not in a dramatic way, more like steam rising off hot concrete. Reflecting on Summer Rain, Paulo and the Problems set a mood that keeps you hooked.

So here we are. With summer rolling in like a lazy wave, this one hits just in time, because the air is thick with everything unspoken. Paulo and Mekfly just handed us a soundtrack for it. Plug it in. Let it play. Leave the phone charging for later. Follow Paulo and the Problems on Spotify, scroll through the late-night moods on Instagram, and if you’re the type who wants it all in one click – the Holy Grail’s right here.