Taiwanese-American indie-pop artist weswes drops his debut EP, down bad but upright, via Five Spice Entertainment.
Speaking to the EP’s inspiration, weswes shares, “‘down bad but upright’ is an EP about the different types of love that one can experience. Some songs represent the infatuation one feels when first meeting someone of interest and how that initial attraction brings about uncertainty, excitement, fear of rejection, and the possibility of a real connection. All these emotions are so different and polarizing, yet you feel them together, all at once, but also at different stages. I wanted to explore this concept in ‘Kimchi Pasta’ (infatuated On Rosecrans).”
Likened to Miguel, Post Malone, and Dominic Fike, weswes’ sound makes claim to a “stoner loverboy” magnetism.
Comprising five tracks, the EP begins with “Rainforest,” opening on a thumping rhythm topped by savors of reggae, pop, and modern hip-hop. weswes’ lush voice displays the silky melodicism of Post Malone, with its captivating surface nuances.
“Chris’ Anthem Mum,” according to weswes is “also a party song but when you take a closer listen, it’s actually a dedication to all the single mothers that raise their children on their own – it shows my appreciation and admiration of their ability to bring a child into this world.”
Pushed by a deliciously vibrating trap bassline, “Chris’ Anthem Mum” rolls out on buoyant rinses of luminous coloration as weswes infuses the lyrics with his delectable flow.
“Kimchi Pasta (infatuated On Rosecrans)” rides crisp percussion, along with a cavernous, rumbling bassline, while dreamy suffusions and textures glide overhead. “Jose Cuervo Freestyle” travels on undulating pop hues, slow and sensuous. weswes’ dazzling falsetto infuses the lyrics with quixotic aromas.
“Beautiful Bizarre” featuring chow mane, features relaxed skiffing guitars, lustrous accents, and a deep bassline. The song’s vocal flows deliver glossy rapping flows amid pop and emo hip-hop melodic textures.
At once alluring and satisfying, with down bad but upright, weswes establishes himself as an artist of vast talent and originality.
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