Returning with his first project since 2018’s incredible introductory EP, ‘Strata’, the melancholic rapper reinstates his poetic-touch and versatile artistry through this moody project. The six-track EP flows through a range of sound, explored from the first second with ‘Press Fast Forward’ introducing himself with his slow-paced, introspective verse before heading into a more upbeat, soulful hook with atmospheric, auto-tuned vocals and low-key electronic soundscapes.

Keeping in tune with his first release, ‘Bleak’ fronts artwork from Jesse himself, bringing shades of deep blue and dim-reflected light, perfectly resonating the feel of the project and furthering the detail to the narrative. Moving into ‘They All Care’, he speaks on his South-East London upbringing over a heartfelt, piano-led instrumental surrounded by laid-back production and a hint of distorted, nonchalant vocals.

The project, produced in its entirety by Kiran Kai perfectly reflects the mood of a rainy day in the city. The third track, ‘Take a Look Around’ comes in with its eerie-instrumental as Jesse speaks on the growing confusion that is life in a constantly changing city, from gentrification to feeling helplessly trapped in your predicament. The distortion of background noise and unpredictable instrumental add to the feeling of being closed in, once again showing Jesse’s ability to paint with this production.

Moving onto ‘Don’t Worry’, the trap-infused percussion, mixed with moody soundscaping, evolves into a more upbeat feel with a relaxed flow from Jesse, allowing his lyricism to take the spotlight.‘Og’ comes as the penultimate track of the EP, with its atmospheric introduction touching on an old, mundane jazz-sample before slowly building into a warped, trap-beat. The production on this track feels as if it goes to a million different places by the second, making for an enticing instrumental. 

Heading into the final minutes of the project, ‘Fumes’ enlists ‘Buu’ artist Crave Moore with a perfectly on-topic verse fitting himself effortlessly into the atmosphere of the track. “Electric Blue, deceptive moods” Jesse utters, as if almost encapsulating the past six tracks in four words. The final song brings in elements of jazz-horns, simple, scattered-guitar melodies and occasional, spearing background vocals. This project continues to display Jesse James Soloman as the vivid, storyteller and effortlessly, detailed lyricist he is.