Recrafting the emo-rap sound from a few years back and weaving in a deeply personal writing style, Slendy brings together intimate honesty and hypnotic melodies to connect with audiences in a simple and open manner.
Having released a plethora of originals in the past year or so, and amassed over 2000 subscribers on YouTube, the artist shows now signs of stepping back – he in fact steps further into authenticity and musical professionalism with each new release. Nothing speaks more highly on behalf of this than the EP Death Notes.
Gobelin opens things up and feels reasonably familiar in its Lil Peep-esque softness and progression. This is just the beginning, but already Slendy’s voice and words have a certain realness about them.
Stardust is an absolute stand-out – the crisp, clean presentation of the guitar sound, the mellow trap beat, and the immediate melody and breathy doubled vocals all create a sense of immersive calm and escapism from the outset. It’s beautifully written and recorded, and brightens the room whilst also connecting for its inherent sense of heartbreak and uncertainty.
Snowfall follows and offers sudden delicacy, space and peacefulness. Poetic imagery makes for a welcoming, inclusive alternative – less personal, more accessible, and well-placed within the collection.
In contrast again, Hard To Tell injects a clear level of weight and darkness – heavier riff work, intense bass, a clear degree of rising anticipation. Slendy’s lyrics intrigue after a long intro, though they turn out to be perhaps the most contemporary of all with recognisable references to debauchery.
We get a touch of brightness musically for Goth Teen, and a little more understanding of the artist, the story behind all of this. It’s a quiet track, a little more under the radar, like the opener.
Fingernails brings things to an artistically interesting finish, showcasing Slendy’s understanding of the musical mood’s importance in addition to lyrics and vocal vulnerability.
At just nineteen years of age, there’s a youthful fearlessness to Slendy’s songs, and given the clear identity of it all, his sound can only grow all the more encompassing as he continues to make original music.
Check out more music on Soundcloud & follow Slendy on IG & YouTube.
