BY MICHELLE CASTILLO
I first listened to PMD as I was winding down for the day. The lights in my room were off and the window open letting the light breeze and the gentle sounds of the night in. There were only a handful of songs that were perfect for this mood. Others had the type of beat that would be perfect to play in the background as you’re getting ready for a night out, the rest were just radio-friendly beats that didn’t give any lyrical depth.
PMD, or Postmodern Depression, is Bassy’s third studio album. The Bay Area native had taken the music world by storm a couple years ago with the songs “You and Me” and “Some Kind of Drug”, both with G-Eazy.
In his latest album, songs such as “15 Minutes to Go” and “NASCAR” showcase the R&B talent his fans have come to expect from him. Whereas tracks like “Die Hard” and “Drip” are easy to digest songs that would be fun to hear live.
While this is an R&B album, there are definitely influences from different genres and decades. “Nothing Compares” has a groovy, 70s sound that can be heard throughout the song. “Aquemini” ends with an 8-bit accompanying instrumental reminiscent to the 80s video game music we all know and love. “Die Hard”, the most upbeat track on the album, had some indie rock influence.
A standout track on the album is “Where We’re From”. Completely different to the rest of the album, this soothing song is the perfect addition to any night drive playlist. This song immediately lets you know the exact vibe it wants to give off as it opens with a reverb guitar - smooth, sultry, alluring. The track is about a one-sided love as described with lyrics such as “Don’t say that you want my love / Don’t say you’re not feeling everything that I’m feeling”.
While each track had its own unique sounds, the lyrics for most of this work seemed bland. He’s definitely had strong EPs and mixtapes that have garnered multiple hits, but this album isn’t one of them. Altogether, this wasn’t Bassy’s strongest album, which is disappointing for a longtime fan of his.