Written by Marilù Ciabattoni
Discovered via Musosoup
Right off the back - Rella’s vibe in the opening song of ETERNAL reminds me of XXXTENTACION in his 2017 album 17. The angst and sadness perfectly match the late Florida rapper’s vibes, and I particularly love the combo of rapping and harmonies that are made throughout the project.
Besides XXXTENTACION, Trippie Redd, who came out this year with his latest album A Love Letter To You 5, is also contributing to the development of emo rap, characterized by sad, gloomy lyrics, a slow tempo and melancholic harmonies. It is not surprising that Rella is releasing his music on Soundcloud which is where emo rap first saw the light.
“BELONG” opens the album in the same way that “Jocelyn Flores” opens the above-mentioned 17. “BROKEN” is a slightly more aggressive song and I absolutely love the beats here.
After “ROCKSTAR,” “ALL ON MY OWN” is the first song on the album that features another rapper, Tommy Ice; the track also features a more romantic ensemble or arcs at the end.
“BABY WHAT!” and “OLD ME” continue along the same lines: they are slow, nostalgic tracks you’re supposed to dream and romanticize your life to. Rella’s auto-tuned vocals transport you to a different dimension, as you’re floating in a sea of guitar chords and trap beats.
The titles of the tracks almost tell a story on their own: they’re hopelessly romantic adjectives that convey something negative to the listener before the song even starts.
“BAD” initially sounds a bit more positive and lighter, transporting you to the acoustic melancholy of “SELFISH” which features slightly less autotune than the rest of the album: it is the more indie rock track on the record, where Rella has the chance to show off his vocal skills a bit more.
“SOS” is a collab between the rapper and another artist called Mitch, and they both transport us on a cloud of overlaid vocals enhanced by autotune; the track features dreamy, muffled vocals in the background throughout.
“FELL IN LOVE,” “LOVEBLIND” and “SOMEBODY” close the album in the same dreamy fashion we have experienced so far.
Soundcloud still represents a safe space for singers and rappers to develop their sound and style as artists.
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