New Music: Idle Friend - Not So Seasonal Depression

 

 

Okay guys, so you know how sometimes you're bored and you get the urge to surf Bandcamp, basically hoping to find the next Aesop Rock or Ceschi so you can gloat about it with your friends when all of a sudden the scene starts talking about them non-stop? No? You're a better person than me, but we knew that already. Anyway, I did that a few months back and came across this dude Introvert, producing music out of the great state of Florida.

I gotta be honest, I was intrigued by the artwork and the write-up they had at the time, but I honestly wasn't expecting to be especially wowed from the jump. There's a huge amount of emo rap out there, usually working with names like Introvert that sort of blend together. Not bad necessarily, but in a lot of ways I feel like I outgrew them when I left the first half of my 20's behind. I love emotionally honest and real hip hop, but it has to ring true and it cannot be forced. There's too much of that around these days, many artists are keenly aware of the teenage demographic desperate for validation of their growing pains (no hate, this was me all over a few decades ago).

Anyway, this guy is good y'all, he's the real deal. His production is very dope, which definitely elevates the quality but really his poetry is great and what I think makes him most notable. He's honest and open and willing to explore his issues with the listener, although up until this point he has said, and I can see it as well, that much of the details are obscured in metaphor. I need to relisten to his older work a bit more but I do remember finding his turns of phrase interesting and original at least. As for his stage credentials, he's opened for a variety of acts who are well known these days; Jonathan Brown, Sadistik, Raphael Vigilantics etc. but AFAIK he is not well known at all.

Not So Seasonal Depression is his first release under the new name Idle Friend. The story goes that this EP is meant to express his emotional experiences and trauma in a more direct fashion (as opposed to the more metaphorical rhymes he displays on his first two albums), a suggestion made by his therapist. He definitely succeeds there. I devoured this EP while walking Sunday morning, and I have to say it hits hard. Anyone who's struggled heavily with issues surrounding self medication, self abuse, self doubt, self hatred, self esteem, self awareness etc. should see themselves in these words, and hopefully be heartened at the clear message that there is a way through.

I truly loved this EP. The production (handled in bulk by LowKeyBeats except for the exceptional "Consent" which is SPAN PHLY's work) is pretty damn good, but what really makes this a worthwhile listen is Idle Friend's fearless lyricism and willingness to discuss issues that still to this day make most people uncomfortable. One of his favorite tracks on the album (rapidly becoming mine as well with repeated listens) is "Despite Everything" which delivers one of the best hooks I've heard about mental illness in a while:

"Despite everything, and all the pain you've been through, you don't just deserve to live, you deserve to want to."

"Consent" is a track I'm still picking apart but I believe it deals with when we are either compromised against our will, or we compromise ourselves to please someone else. This is a hugely messy and delicate issue to write about, and the song does so with tact and grace. It's just one example of how well Idle Friend handles the deep stuff. I feel like if I can convince you to check this out, both of those tracks deliver the best of what he has to offer and will most likely hook you enough to convince you to at least stream the rest.

This is honest work, clearly a labor of love and a harbinger of great things from an artist really growing into their role as a poet. I can honestly say this album was meaningful to me as someone who's had their share of issues, and I hope that many of you will feel the same. It was great to listen to, great to write about and it'll be great to see how well I believe it's going to be received.

Give it a listen here! And consider supporting someone who could help a lot of people, and also happens to be a great songwriter.