“Ego Death” by The Internet: The (Odd) Future of R&B Music

One of my favorite projects this year and an album I could not wait to review was Ego Death by the band The Internet. Lead by vocalist Syd the Kyd and producer Matt Martians, both of Odd Future and who have previously released two albums together, showcasing their sound of genre meshing and overall raw talent musically. For Ego Death however they brought in a few more artists and musicians to help create this project in what many are terming as “Alternative R&B”. Artists like Frank Ocean and The Weeknd have put their names on the map by putting a twist on the traditional R&B sound and The Internet is no exception to that, mixing R&B with sounds of funk, soul, hip-hop, and jazz all into one. 

Love and Heartbreak: The Message

Ego Death doesn’t shy away from the idea of love, for lead singer Syd the Kyd, her dark and hazy voice is the perfect instrument to describe the issues of heartbreak. On the song “Get Away”, Syd speaks about her old girlfriend who is now reaching out again just because she sees Syd and The Internet have become popular. Throughout the album, this message is reiterated as it seems Syd is going through the struggles of fame and heartbreak, while trying to find the right girl to make her happy. On a song like “Girl”, we see Syd serenading a woman into being with her rather than her boyfriend or girlfriend who isn’t treating her right. For me, Ego Death is a quest for “the one” that can truly bring you happiness and Syd backed by the dark instrumentals of The Internet delivers that message well and this is what peaked my interest and had me wanting to listen more.

The Instrumentation is Perfection

Something that really pulled me into this album as well and why I enjoyed it so much was the multitude of different sounds and instruments The Internet experimented with for this album. In the song  “Just Sayin/I Tried”, the listener hears the words “I don’t love you no more” repeated throughout with a heavy bassline in the background to drive home the fact that Syd truly doesn’t love her ex no more. I found the instrumentals to be one of the strong foundations of this album and why it is so enjoyable for me. Anyone who is a fan of music and different sounds and experimentation can appreciate an album like Ego Death which has no boundaries or doors holding it back from being different.

Ego Death definitely put a twist on the modern conventions of R&B. It will be interesting to see how much the band grows from this project to their next, however, if it is anything like what Ego Death had to offer then we as listeners are in for a real treat.

Overall: 5 out of 5
Essential Tracks: “Get Away”, “Girl”, and “Just Sayin/I Tried”