At some point over the past few years, something that can be defined as a distinctly Toronto sound was birthed. It's all syrupy flows over trap-borrowing beats, a meld of the 6's wintery culture and influences from south of the Mason-Dixon. But Music to Soothe the Savage Youth, a new EP recorded in collaboration by rapper Drew Howard and producer Birthday Boy, presents a new proposition for Toronto, something that sounds more like partying and falling in love late at night in the downtown core than hanging out on its perimeter. On standout cuts like "Robin Williams" and "I Won't Judge You," Howard alternates between turnt-up bars and sweet R&B melodies, riding Birthday Boy's synth-y, slow-burning beats with impressive dexterity.
"We originally got together to make one song, which turned into 'They Love Me'. We just realized we had chemistry, so we continued to work together. This is what we came up with. I like to think we found a unique middle ground between our styles," Birthday Boy told The FADER over email.
"It was mostly experimental, but everything felt very organic. All the songs grew and this is the result," explained Howard.
Stream the project in full below and hit the download link.