Local fans were pleased after Brent Faiyaz released “Larger Than Life” on Oct. 27. As the Maryland artist’s third album, it seems like a stylistic return to the old sound that catapulted him to fame in his earlier projects.
The album features plenty of DMV talent including Missy Elliot, CruddyMurda, Lil Gray and Tommy Richman. There are also various nods to Faiyaz’s home of the DMV area. Instead of working with the popular and largely successful artists on the scene, Faiyaz chose to give local artists a chance to advance in the industry and reveal their talent. Samples of classic 2000s DMV artists and songs can be found throughout the album as well. All this makes listening to it a special experience for people in the area and gives locals some more music to claim as their own.
The theme of filtered guitar-based beats and smooth yet almost rap-like vocals shows up right away in the tracklist. After the mood is set in “Tim’s Intro,” the album delivers a strong one-two punch with “Last One Left” and “Forever Yours.” The song “Last One Left” is proof of Faiyaz’s unique ability to layer elegant vocals over poppy snares and bass. The same techniques present in different ways as the album goes on like in “Best Time” and “Moment of Your Life” until the songs begin to exhibit more variety. “Outside All Night” featuring A$AP Rocky and N3WYRKLA showcases a different style with an interesting beat that has elements of strings and bells with strong bass which is suitable for Faiyaz and N3WYRKLA to sing on and A$AP Rocky to rhyme on.
“Upset” with Tommy Richman and FELIX! is another song that differs from the rest of the album. The bouncy bass and synth melody create a totally different vibe than the other tracks. One of the things that makes “Larger Than Life” cool is that it compiles different types of songs that all fit to make a cohesive album. “On This Side” and “Belong to You” are also some examples of the variety this album has to offer.
“Larger Than Life” is a mix of romantic storytelling and the toxicity fans are used to from Faiyaz. In some songs he lays out a story from his point of view which can be seen in “Outside All Night” and “Upset.” The album also has some songs in which Faiyaz tries to navigate his emotions like in “Forever Yours” and “Belong to You,” where he struggles with thoughts about his relationship, just to find himself deeply infatuated with a certain lover.
Of course, there is still some slight animosity. In songs like “Wherever I Go” and “WY@” he directs his message at former girlfriends he has had, regretting trusting them and being so devoted. He sings, “I should have never got so close, I should have never told you things,” seemingly disappointed in himself for running into relationship problems, but clearly directing the blame at his past lovers at the same time.
Overall, this album is filled with cool things to pick up on as a listener. You can experience such a wide range of emotions by just listening to a few songs which makes “Larger Than Life” pretty unique. With Faiyaz’s one-of-a-kind vocals and his writing skills, he has created another project that fans will love.
