My favorites: Not Alright, At My Worst
Listen if you like: Khalid, Mac Ayres, Arin Ray
The new Pink Sweat$ EP, called The Prelude, showcases six tracks by this upcoming R&B artist most known for the release of his single “Honesty” which has more than a hundred million plays on Spotify. However, the track “17” from the new EP has already surpassed those numbers. Pink Sweat$, also known as David Bowden, has yet to release his debut album but has gained popularity in R&B/pop circles for his singles and EPs. This EP is no exception, with a masterful blend of popular cotton-candy beats, soulful vocals, and emotionally vulnerable lyrics.
The album artwork for the EP greatly reflects the whole vibe of the album: happy and bright. On the surface, every song has a playful melody and instrumentation. Easily you could picture all of these songs on a top-100s chart, alongside Bowden’s past works. Penetrating into the lyrics and meaning behind the songs gives a deeper look at the emotion housed in the artist’s music. The tracks have beautiful lines like “We’ll be dancing the same groove / When we are ninety-two, the same as seventeen.” His track that delves deepest into emotions is “Not Alright,” which focuses on the treatment of Black Americans and the emotion following the death of George Floyd.
This EP reminded me of some of the popular works by Khalid and Arin Ray, if you enjoy those I recommend giving this a listen. There is clearly an influence of contemporary R&B, pop, and soul music infused into this work. Most of the tracks utilize guitar, very simple beats, and rely heavily on the artist’s vocal talent.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think!
– Miranda
