HeIsTheArtist "The Faded Outro"

Heistheartist is one of the most fascinating gospel artists in the business right now, and any time he has a new release it demands a degree of interesting and attention from us. Not only does he have some of the most unique tunes, but his style and uncompromising sense of self sets him apart. His latest work ‘The Faded Outro EP,’ is out now, and as such it’s time for us to take a closer look at it and see how it holds up.

Greeting us is the EP’s intro, an instrumental track titled ‘Cloudy Sunday Morning.’ Chilled out, relaxed vibes permeate throughout, with melancholic touches to draw the viewer in. The atmosphere established by this opening track carries over to the rest of the EP, and as an introduction it’s surprisingly solid.

For the next track we have ‘Summertime,’ showcasing Heistheartist’s knack for changing up his influences without abandoning his signature style. In this case, we see some wonderfully smooth blues and jazz influences creep in, paired with the singer’s nasally, droning vocals. It continues to carry that sense of melancholy, but a bit of dread also finds its way into the mix thanks to some off-key pianos.

Directly after we get ‘I Want You Around,’ which is stylistically softer and more warm than the previous two tracks. It’s juxtaposed by the artist’s vocal performance, though even here the uncanny, unsettling vibes take a backseat. It’s fitting for a song that carries themes of want, and serves as one of the stronger tracks on the EP.

Things get switched up once again with ‘Boom (Remastered),’ which as the name implies, is a remade cut of Heistheartist’s earlier work. Synths lead the charge in this one, upping the tempo enough for the song to be surprisingly upbeat. Heistheartist’s vocals are more recessed in the mix, making them instrumental to the song’s vibe.

‘Colored,’ is by and far the most bizarre track on the entire EP, with slow, droning mixes that stretch themselves out. It can almost make the mix feel claustrophobic, with many different textures in the music coming together. It’s a relatively minimalist song, but it works astonishingly well. This is followed by ‘The Faded Outro (Outro),’ the title track and another smooth, soft instrumental track.

‘The Faded Outro EP,’ is an excellent change of pace for the artist, with some fantastic sounds and rhythms adding depth and warmth to his typical bizarre style. Despite this, Heistheartist’s unique vocals and sound are still here in full, and they lend a significant amount of personality to the tunes, making them unmistakably his. We definitely recommend ‘The Faded Outro EP,’ as a distinct and special listening experience!