Cold As Ice

Harrison

Apricity

The title of Toronto wunderkind producer Harrison’s sophomore effort is defined as “the warmth of the sun in winter” — symbolic of his emergence from depression. No matter the listener’s mental state, Apricity is the antidote to any upcoming great white north doldrums. More assured and confident than 2016’s Junonominated Checkpoint Titanium, not to mention more polished, Apricity is a delight. “Celica Supra” kicks the set off with an energizing slice of electro-funk that effortlessly conjures the early ’80s and breakdancing without surrendering to self-conscious nostalgia. “Wavestation” is deep house bathed in a balmy glow, and the indigo ambience of “Next Blue” is hypnotizing. Both are prime examples of Harrison’s growth musically, both in chord structure and melody.

Like its predecessor, Apricity features numerous collaborations. “Your Girl” is a charming electro-pop confection with Ralph reassuring a girlfriend after a nasty breakup; “Better” (with Daniela Andrade) is a sensual quiet storm throb; and “Midnight Snack” (with iaamSaam and BADBADNOTGOOD’s Matty Tavares) has a contagious glide. This cat’s only 23, which makes Apricity that much more impressive and makes us itchy with anticipation for what Harrison has in the future. (Last Gang, lastgang.com)

Apricity is a much more cohesive than your debut, would you agree?

I hope so. I really tried for that this time; I was basically showcasing different types of production on my first

listeners back in with the 21 Savageassisted “Pass Out,” and even though his verse is just okay, it’s good to have 21 back. “Flip the Switch” wouldn’t have been the same without Drizzy’s touch, while “Workin Me” is one of the few tracks where Quavo holds his own without any features. “Champagne Rosé” starts off with a hook from Madonna that has her sounding like an out-ofplace robotic Geisha, and gets even weirder as she tries to rap, but ends up single-handedly making Auto-Tune uncool again. God bless Cardi B though. She comes in and saves the track, but with the shortest verse in Cardi B history. “Fuck 12” is Quavo at his most woke; the song is introduced with a sample from a Malcolm X speech where he speaks on human rights and skin colour. Offset comes in hard with his verse alongside a punching hook that chants “Fuck 12! Fuck 12! Fuck 12!” This is the 2018 mumble rap version of “Fuck Tha Police” and to be honest, it’s catchy and hard to hate. By the end of the project, Quavo Huncho begins to feel more like a ELECTRONIC album. I wanted to make this album for the last four years. I sat down with an idea of what I wanted to do, as opposed to the first album, which was kind of a compilation and not as thematic. I continued to like it while making it; I think that’s why it sounds more cohesive.

What is the idea behind the album’s title?

Most of the album was made during the winter. I saw a couple different definitions of apricity. The main one that I heard was the warmth of the sun — specifically the warmth of the sun in winter. I’m Canadian. I understand that the winters are cold and I’ve been watching my friends with seasonal depression and it can be very upsetting sometimes. It was more about the idea of embracing that time to pursue other things.

mixtape, with Quavo popping out to add a few unenergetic verses and repetitive adlibs rather than a strong solo debut. Quavo Huncho’s individual features provide more of a draw than every solo track combined, proving that Quavo still needs some time to grow and develop as a solo artist. (Quality Control/Capitol) BLACK METAL band also combat monotony in the vocals, which go from the most often utilized screeching to a more bemoaned howl or cry. Unbound is a must listen for black metal fans. It stands on the frigid foundations of Mayhem and Emperor, while laying into the classic rock tendencies of later Darkthrone, giving the album a little more variety than unending tremolo picking and blasts. ( World Terror Committee) HIP- HOP