Album Review Spencer. - Are U Down

Although he’s only got a handful of songs online, self-taught musician, producer, and general multi-hyphenate Spencer. has been buzzing about for a while. Hailed for his experimental R&B-leaning jams, now he’s concocted a debut album that not only adds to his discography but also finds him pulling from a wide-range of genres and continuing his shapeshifting sonic path. Inspired by his long-distance relationship, ‘Are U Down?’ - his first full-length - centres around themes of loneliness and miscommunication, told through Spencer.’s sleek and rich lyrical flow. A duet with Thea of Becky and The Birds on record midpoint ‘After The Show’ displays this most evidently, with Thea and Spencer.’s lyrical back-and-forth mirroring a phone call between distant partners over the smooth bass-heavy backing, and it’s musical techniques like these that make the album such a captivating listen. Self-described as “a producer first”, ‘Are U Down’ Is full of impressive flairs, showing his passion and comfort in playing with genres as he flows from R&B-leaning ballads (‘Heart Freestyle’) to pop-tinged bops (‘Lonely As I Ever Was’) to indie-inspired tracks (‘Drop’). An impressive first outing, Spencer.’s skills as a producer and songwriter have never been more evident. Period.