Izaya Tiji - Svelte in Designer (2019)

Styles: Ambient Plugg, Cloud Rap | US

Out of everyone from the American Trap collective SlayWorld - though not my favorite - Izaya Tiji strikes me as the most artistic of the bunch. Prolific from the start of his career, he had an especially notable run during 2019-21. Around that time he released his most essential projects, including the five-track Svelte in Designer. Production is handled by Wifi, Endoh, Litooo and even Tiji himself on the final two tracks. 

Interlude - where do you even start with such a standout? Sampling the production and vocals from Yutaka Yamada's Tokyo Ghoul soundtrack, Izaya softly glides over the cold production. Completing the soundscape are the hard-hitting Plugg elements of the beat, forming a sort of symbiosis between the organic and artificial parts of it. Izaya doesn't say anything particularly emotional, his beautifully melodic rapping is enough to stir up blurry memories and past heart strains. It's a common attribute of his art - evoking things unsaid in the lyrics themselves or expressed in short lines.

How many days have passed like this?

Changed Alot is a faster change of pace, retaining the lush piano-sampling production and lushness of the entire EP's sound. Though a bit short, it shows off Tiji's competency for doing multiple styles while retaining consistency. A lot of that is owed to the mixing, bass being especially deep on each song along with the overly loud percussion. Though I don't mind it too much, I do wish the mastering was mildly better - it often drowns out whatever ambience is going on in the background. Despite this, there's still a deep layer of numbness across the tracklist, never spoken out loud but always lingering at least to a degree. The remaining three tracks are all solid, especially the closer 2016 which is my second favorite off the release. I don't have much to say about them on their own, just solid tracks because of everything I've already mentioned. Unfortunately, the EP really does start with its highlight - making everything after feel slightly disappointing. 

An important release in Izaya's discography and the sound of early Ambient Plugg as a whole, short but sweet. Detachment from reality expressed through the lens of hedonism and usual motifs in Trap.

8.5/10

See also: 1oneam, Shed Theory

Listen here: Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud

- kreyzi