Review Summary: How do you feel? Is it anything like how I feel?
And here we are. 5 months after Brent Faiyaz killed the release of
Icon the day before its original release date in September, he’s chosen the day before Valentine’s Day to release what is easily his most vulnerable, saccharine album yet. This topic matter is especially interesting considering Faiyaz’s previous release
Wasteland focused on infidelity and the pitfalls inherent in his fame. In a complete 180,
Icon sees Faiyaz staring into the eyes of his woman and making two things clear; he’s the only one for her, and she’s the only one for him. Faiyaz’s singular focus of his devotion is clear throughout
Icon, these songs are about
someone, not just anyone. Executively produced by industry titan Raphael Saadiq,
Icon is an electronically driven affair, with flashes of acoustic instruments utilized as ornamentation to great effect. Fortunately, with Faiyaz’s turn away from his previous toxic themes and into bleeding heart devoutness, Faiyaz plays with a variety of vocal melodies that match
Icon’s theme. And while
Icon isn’t going to set the world on fire, he might be winning some doubters over with this one.
Like all of Faiyaz’s work,
Icon sounds absolutely gorgeous. Saadiq is joined by a team of producers including frequent flyer Benny Blanco who have crafted a lush, weighty set of beats that compliment Faiyaz’s melodies wonderfully. “wrong faces” starts the album off with a thick beat, silky guitar melodies, and a mood oozing with tension as Faiyaz pleads with his girl to stay at home and stop looking for love in all the wrong places (and faces):
Ain't no way out, I know that you're searching for one, You like to stay out, Think about who you're hurting for once
Much of the musical decisions will ring nostalgic to listeners as songs like “have to” and “other side” taking some heavy inspiration from 90’s era RnB producers to outstanding effect. This decision lies within a larger musical theme within
Icon, giving Faiyaz space for his vocals to breathe.
Icon is structured as an intimate conversation between two people and Faiyaz does a good job both revealing his inner thoughts as well as making them easy to groove to. His melodies both compliment the music while showing enough variety to have staying power, especially considering the short runtime of the album. Lyrically, Faiyaz isn’t treading any new ground, and while “bog standard” would be harsh, don’t expect anything you haven’t heard from RnB artists in the past.
All things considered, the drama surrounding the release of
Icon did have a point.
Icon is a lean offering devoid of features that serves as a welcome change in motif, especially considering his prior toxic lyrics concerning women. It’s overtly emotional, completely exposing and expertly produced affair. Whether Faiyaz is channeling the King of Pop in “other side” or channeling Brian McKnight in album highlight “pure fantasy” the other side of his masculinity is nice to see, and nice to listen to as well.
