Basildon, Essex, England, United Kingdom recording artist & producer fakemink is back with his full-length studio debut. Introducing himself in 2021 off his debut EP Dog Heater, he would go on to drop 7 more extended plays in 90,900, Real Hospitality, London’s Saviour, Wild One, Furever, Disco Biscuit & Galaxy Pavillion Club until getting co-signs from music’s biggest names like André 3000 & Clipse. “Music & Me” would also become one of my favorite singles of 2025, coming off The Boy Who Cried Terrified almost 4 months earlier to serve the main course.
After the titular intro, the noisily self-produced “All Eyes on Me” talks about killing shit because it’s what he must do whereas “Playlist” gives off a more hypnotic vibe instrumentally detailing an innocent angel becoming a whore. “Creep” talks about him moving slowly & putting in work so he can spend all the money he makes while “Like a Virgin” reminds everyone that he’s been getting paid since the 9090gate phase of his career.
“51 Ttashpel Pony Ave.” after the “Jungle-Affair” interlude has a more tone in terms of lyrics sampling “Now” by Julia Wolf to talk about others making paper for his future children’s sake & other never seeing large amounts of cash in their lives while “Hard Candy” details him being allergic to broke shit. “Rewind” ends the 1st half wanting this woman to recognize that she’s his while “Essex Girls” talks about showing a woman what real affection is.
Pop rap, electropop, hip house, euro house & electro hop all collide on the single “Night, Blooming Jasmine” discussing that his objective has now become waking up daily & living his life now that he’s rich & famous while “Wrong Relief” talks about staying lit after setting himself on fire. “Kiss of Death” after the “Fire on Ice” interlude boasts that he bagged the baddest bitch alive while “Creed” talks about the pain that comes with the life he chose.
“Tell Me What You’re Missing” begins the final moments of Terrified asking his lover to let him know what she misses regarding her old life while “Forget Me Not” talks about him winning because he didn’t listen to what everyone else has told him. The final song “Rétard Angel” preceding the “Etna” outro finishes the LP advising not to let his wealth fool anything into thinking that he’s lucky when it’s the complete opposite the way he looks at it.
Taking more inspiration from 2018-2020 drill as opposed to grime music, fakemink’s debut album was conceived as this crude caricature of Los Angeles after returning home to London after a trip out to the west coast & lands behind the London’s Saviour EP for his 2nd best opus. His cloudy production includes elements of jerk, witch house, experimental hip hop & ambient music to lesser extents for a creepy California noir where models try to steal your soul & vampires drive Wraiths down Hollywood Boulevard.
Score: 4/5
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