In Atlanta, it’s usually pretty easy to track upcoming artists, but occasionally a unique voice stands out among the SoundCloud horde. In this case, it’s the relatively unknown crooner Jarrod Milton. The 21-year-old Detroit native has been honing his craft in Atlanta in secrecy for the past few years, in part due to the intensely personal nature of his music. His debut LP Girl, a deep and passionate effort, almost never reached the public’s ears, but thanks to the encouragement of friends, including producer Oliver Blue (fka Brother Mary), Milton was confident enough to release the tracks.
Girl is a haunting statement of simplicity that avoids many pitfalls common to debut records. Though the album is filled with a variety of musical and lyrical ideas, the songs aren’t scattered and the transitions are never jarring. Instead, these ten songs retain a conscious unity even amidst a willingness to explore. Milton names Frank Ocean and Kid Cudi as inspirations, not so much thematically, but ideologically. Both artists were willing to challenge musical trends, and Milton sees this as a path to success in Atlanta, a city known for cannibalizing its own artistic ecosystem.
The lyrics throughout Girl often come across as bedroom poetry, not scratched in a notepad, but sung to the ceiling. This quiet sensitivity makes each track feel as if the listener isn’t the direct audience, but rather an entranced bystander struck by the melancholic tones wafting through the evening air. It’s an ethereal picture of optimistic yearning never fully realized and sorrow held at bay by a singular energy. This array of emotion lies dormant beneath the glassy synths and delicate vocals, only occasionally breaking forth into cathartic release.
The LP’s moody balance is aided by Blue’s understated production. The close relationship between Milton and his producer is apparent in the give and take between their respective talents. Always willing to take risks, but never overshadowing Milton’s voice, Blue utilizes a variety of tools throughout the album, which keep the record moving even through the most pensive tracks.
Both Milton and Blue are still developing artists, but there is a self-awareness to Girl that bodes well for future projects. Too often young musicians confuse introspection with narcissism, but the reflective nature of this album is soothing. Milton’s sorrow is never imprisoned within pity and his joy is never self-serving. As such, Girl doesn’t reach out to grab the listener’s attention, but rather waits for us to slow down and take notice.
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