To kick off 2022, Rich Brian has released a 4 track EP titled Brightside that is sure to make these winter days a bit brighter. This project follows his 3 studio albums and a steady release of singles, and contains two new tracks. The EP dropped on January 20th, and features Brian returning to flows similar to his older work, rather than the more melodic lines that made up most of The Sailor.
The first track New Tooth was released as a single on November 4th, and is a high energy track that builds to a climax, then changes to a smoother instrumental. Despite the change in intensity, Brian’s flow remains just as fast, and just as clean. As the song continues, the lyrics get more vulnerable, as he details his struggles with self doubt. The beat changes to center the sound of strings, and any percussive sounds are long gone. The ending melody sounds hopeful, though. Suggesting that despite the struggles, there are better days ahead.
Track two, Lagoon, starts another upbeat, fast track. Featuring a beat drop about 45 seconds in, Brian switches his flow to a slower, more syncopated style. Before you know it, he’s back to rapping fast. The changes in flow style are the high point of this album, as it showcases Brian’s versatility as a rapper.
Getcho Mans sits at track 3, and features Warren Hue, another Indonesian rapper that is also signed to 88rising. Warren and Brian switch off verses throughout the song, and it almost sounds like they’re each trying to rap faster than the other. This makes the song extremely interesting to listen to, as the verses just seem to move quicker and quicker. This track also has an accompanying music video, that you can watch here.
To wrap up the EP, Sunny explores the idea of feeling out of place, especially in the entertainment industry. It’s a surprisingly vulnerable song, and really shows that Brian is at more of a reflective point in his music career. He’s clearly older now than he was back when Dat $tick was released, but also older than when his last project was released. The newfound maturity is evident in his lyricism, and stands out even when he’s rapping his lyrics at lightning speed.
This EP has already racked up a hefty amount of listens on streaming platforms, and seems to signify a new era for Rich Brian. It’s nice to know that despite all his growth and progression, both as a musician and as an individual, he’s still capable of delivering the signature Rich Brian sound that we all know and love.
