redveil is an 18 year old MC/producer from PG County, Maryland who came up at the tail-end of 2019 off his debut mixtape Bittersweet Cry. But I wouldn’t get introduced to his music until 8 months after when a short-lived Twitter beef between him & the internet’s busiest music nerd himself Anthony Fantano broke out merely days after dropping Niagara. It prompted me to check the tape out & I was actually pretty impressed with the amount of potential he was showing as an artist. So for his 18th birthday, he’s celebrating by dropping his debut mixtape.
“together” opens up the tape with some keys & saxes talking about running it whereas “diving board” takes a jazzier route addressing his come up. “pg baby” works in a soul sample talking about what growing up in Maryland was like for him just before “new info” incorporates a crooning vocal loop declaring his energy as his biggest weapon.
Meanwhile on “shoulder”, we have Mekdelawit & Renaissance Mic accompanying redveil on top of a euphoric boom bap instrumental talking about watching their youth wash away leading into Sam Truth tagging along for the melodic “better” advising that shit gets better when you give it time. “sky” lusciously talks about being a star, but then “morphine (da ways)” returns to soulful territory expressing his desire to win.
Fly Anakin & ovrkast. come into the picture for the trap-tinged “automatic” talking about how you can’t break them while the song “home” vents everything that’s been on his mind these days. The penultimate track “mars” mixes some background vocals, pianos & even a guitar solo talking about seeing the light a mile away & “working on it” ends the tape with a powerful ballad confessing that he doesn’t wanna run anymore.
If anyone liked Niagara as much as I did, then you’re gonna love learn 2 swim just as much if not more & I recommend all of those who’re still not up in redveil to check this tape out because it’s just most mature body of work thus far. On top of that, I admire how much he demonstrates his artistic growth with his refined lyrics & production game.
Score: 4/5
Legends Will Never Die 