[The Music Blog]: Get a feel of Aylø’s finest album yet, ‘Insert Project Name’

It doesn’t take long to get into Aylø’s new mixtape, Insert Project Name. Taking in a full minute of nothing but the sombre and wide-open groove harmonies on opening track “Gardens”, before Aylø eventually starts singing with his warm, strained and conversational vocals, the first thing that clicks is the unhurried feel. But as soon as the lyrics and ideas start to take shape: “On My Mama Nigga/ Never Fault The Process/ I Ain’t Doing Singles I Got To Drop The Project/ Written Off These Topics.” It becomes clear that this is a sincere, soulful project, brimming with honesty, though probably not the most humble moxie.

His teamwork with features; Tau Benah, Chris Generalz, Amaarae, Santi, AY, MALIKA HAMZAA and Odunsi over the 10-track offering is however what gives the 32 minutes long tape its expansive shape. Plus production from Genio Bambino, Elijah Bane, KeyLo, Higo Music, youngsleeyboi, Thrilla, Chris Generalz, 808Vic and Aylø himself. In pure musical terms, it’s a radiant blend of styles dense with instrumentation. The blast of horns or waves of spacious synth harmonies here, a piano solo or squiggly guitar lick there, with liquid bass lines and hard-smacking but laid-back drums throughout—it’s a joy of a project to play all the way through.

Some tracks on <Insert Project Name\> are more intimate than others.  “925” is an energetic highlight that features autobiographical tales of his family and his substance-induced lifestyle, “Anxiety” already introduced. Album midpoint, “133” is underlined by themes of individuality and groupthink, especially when “Rolling With (Your) Niggas For That Green” and “Rolling Cause These Women Love That Shit”. Switching from singing to rap flow, it’s a sweet throwback to 90’s soul but that’s not to say there’s anything stale about it. After all, among Frank Ocean’s appeal is his similar sounding retro aesthetic filtered through unwitting charisma and use of vivid imagery.

A song like the Odunsi assisted “Pray” could be purely for the ladies if it didn’t sound so honest. It’s evidence of the defining truth of the tape: It’s sunny but substantive. Listen to Aylø’s <Insert Project Name\> mixtape below.

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