One of the first big releases of the year from an Australian artist is The Kid LAROI’s BEFORE I FORGET.
Having been recognised as an increasingly versatile artist since his discovery as a teenager, it’s little surprise this album ranges across pop to hip-hop to R n B. BEFORE I FORGET is drenched in heartbreak from The Kid LAROI’s high profile split from popstar Tate McRae mid last year.
Overall it definitely leans more into pop, seemingly cementing his move away from his rap/hip hop beginnings. Unfortunately, this more mellow sound, alongside the melancholy mood of the individual stories on the tracks, makes for a somewhat flat, one dimensional record, especially as you move into the second half of the release.
There are some upbeat songs on there, opening track ME + YOU for example and RATHER BE (featuring Lithe), both of which are stronger musically than they are lyrically, do manage to retain interest with their hip-hop infused energy.
In all honestly, I enjoyed some of the more gentle tracks such as 5:21AM – a one minute thirty second emotional ballad roughly right in the middle of the album. As stand alone songs, the emotional intensity is powerful, but within the release they feel out of place with the rest of the album and they act to further drag down the mood on what’s already a melancholy sounding release, making the record feel even flatter.
A PERFECT WORLD does feels like it hits the right balance. It’s got a good pace and is dominated by the drum track that helps lift its energy. It also drifts enough into hip-hop that it feels more distinctive and recognisable as the kid LAROI’s sound. It feels like that avenue everyone was hoping he’d pursue that juxtapositions rap elements with pop to sit in a musical landscape that’s uniquely his. It still has the emotive lyrics of much of the rest of the album but when delivered in this catchier musical context it’s far more engaging.
It’s a shame, I feel like this album could have almost worked if it had taken a structure more akin to Lil Nas X’s Montero and flipped the emotion and sound half way through, or taken us on more of a complex journey through heartbreak, drawing on a more dynamic range of feelings. There’s definitely promise in individual moments but it mis-steps with its overall emotional tone and disjointed musical sound.
Listen to BEFORE I FORGET here.