At only 20 years old, rapper and vocal engineer Lil Murky seems well poised to make a mark on the London music scene before long. His recent release, a 6-track EP titled In Another Lifetime shows the young talent is well equipped and on his way to developing his sound and style all while showcasing a level of introspection that suggests he’s asking himself some tough questions and beginning to emerge from his shell.
Admittedly, vocally he sometimes gets a little lost inside these melody-driven rnb productions and murky seems an appropriate word to describe it. Surely inspired by rappers who are driven towards similar vocal processing effects in their own music, it’s one part of the EP that we wish was toned down slightly. While the slurring/mumble-rap style has worked well for a plethora of artists and certainly has a widespread beloved audience, there are many moments in this EP that we find ourselves trying a little too hard to decipher the stories Lil Murky is sharing with us and we worry if this stylist choice is creating an unnecessary obstacle rather than strengthening the production with flavourful design.
When we do grab hold of the words, we find Lil Murky embracing the club scene in a way that’s reminiscent of his predeccors and it’s in this that the EP manages to channel his youth, but in a way that is almost a little too mature for us to believe is an authentic representation of his own life and character – at least, we certainly weren’t popping Hennessey in our 20’s, so perhaps Lil Murky is a conduit for the lifetime we ourself never lived.
Otherwise the production is varied and interesting, pairing late-night club beats with soulful piano arrangements that keep us engaged and eager for more. The standout track for us comes right off the top of the album with “Nightlight”. Carried largely by a simple yet entrancing acoustic guitar progression, the track makes welomed use of literary reference with the classic nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle as Lil Murky and collaborator Kli Nt showcase a charming appreciation and wonderment for young love.
We’ll be curious to see if Lil Murky ever dives deeper into embracing the melodic-pop sensibility of this EP in the future with a little less dragging-auto tune. We imagine his vocals might better pop within similar track styles if given clearer waters to tread through.
Our own preferences aside, fans of Lil Wayne, JUICE WRLD and Trippie Redd would be right up the alley of In Another Lifetime.
Keep up with Lil Murky by following their social media channels.
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