Faiyaz returns with three new songs representing his gritty yet melodic sound.

Brent Faiyaz has had a hell of a year since the release of his EP F*ck the World. Since then, he’s been dropping singles such as Dead Man Walking and Gravity featuring Tyler the Creator along with appearances in other content such as the PGLang and Calvin Klein ad Solo. With his next album Make It Out Alive in the works, Faiyaz released his EP Do Not Listen on 2/8 as a surprise drop. This project continues to show Faiyaz’s blend of socially conscious and introspective themes with some brashness and indulgence

The track Circles featuring Purr is a reflection on independence and success in a world of social turmoil , as evident in lyrics such as “N****s dying everyday, but what can I say/They just want me to sing/ It’s like everyone wants you to think how they think and do what they say and stay out of the way/And if you don’t wanna, they got a problem with you.” The message of this track may remind listeners of the tensions surrounding 2020’s social movements like the Black Lives Matter protests and their influence on activism by public figures such as athletes and other celebrities. The track’s minimalist and claustrophobic production may be jarring to some, but fits its mood upon repeated listens. Paper Soldier featuring rapper Joony, with its funky and trap-influenced beat, is swaggering and cocky towards fame with the chorus: “I bet you wish that I was still right there, used to live right there, Now I’m everywhere, got bitches everywhere/I’m so debonair, I’m a millionaire, I act like I don’t care, that’s cause I don’t care.”

Arguably, the biggest highlight of the EP is Price of Fame, a two-part track with a bass-heavy first half slowing down into a guitar and vocal-heavy second half. Lines like “Is it cause my whip so fast you don’t see no flaws?/Is it cause my bitch so bad she blew you off?/All of the things they want” and “They don’t wanna give you time to heal, They just wanna bleed you dry for real” combined with the booming beat creates a sense of fame and debauchery crashing into you like a come down from a high. The second half enters some sort of therapeutic mood when Brent sings “You don’t need some to make you feel better than you’ve ever felt/What you need is someone who will be there when you don’t feel yourself,” which can be assumed as recognition of his music’s personal effect on people and need for fans to understand his longing for personal peace aside from his career.

Overall, Do Not Listen displays sincere songwriting skills that places Faiyaz on a much more intimate level than his peers in R&B. If the songs of this EP are signs of things to come, then we are in for a highly anticipated studio album later this year.

Score: 9/10

Written By: Kristian Gonzales