August 08 Father 88rising

PARENTAL influence or rather, the fractured relationship with one’s parent can make a huge impact in one’s life. And in the case newcomer August Grant – better known by the stage name August 08 – it is winning inspiration for a debut extended play.

Father is an incredibly intimate and introspective look into one’s broken formative years. Opening with a man’s angry howls on

Missed Calls, the record dives head first into emotional turmoils from the get go.

The 26-year-old has admitted in interviews that he had a really tough relationship with his father.

“I’m named after him, so I kind of wanted to spite him, but also be a part of him,” he revealed.

Listening to the eight-track collection though is a much more gentle journey than a furious musical foray that his confession suggested.

Sure, there are the messages about desolation and bitterness. But what prevents

Father from being an exhaustive listen is Grant’s honeyed vocals and the subtle R&B production that tinge the numbers on this record.

The stirring Funeral gently lulls over a mixture of synths and frequencies as Grant pleads for unfiltered honesty. Elsewhere,

Father Issues taps into more obvious hip hop influences as the Los Angeles-based singer deals with his flawed character. Perhaps what’s most impressive about

Father is that in spite of all the acrimony, Grant manages to find some semblance of harmony to present an alluring record. – CC