FADER PREMIERE
Texas-via-Toronto singer/producer Tory Lanez' 2013 tape Conflicts of My Soul was a clear standout among recent year's crop of lusty, fuck-your-feelings R&B a la Ty Dolla $ign. Today he follows it up with Chixtape II (the first one dropped back in 2011), and it's his slickest, steamiest work yet—mellow, dripping-faucet tempos, a casually cool delivery in the vein of Jeremih, music metaphor come-ons inspired by The-Dream (We do it like an uncut version, girl). He's also interpolated a handful of R&B classics—"Pony," "The Boy Is Mine," "No Scrubs"—in a way that's neither obvious nor exploitative, flipping them just enough to usher them into the aesthetics of 2014 without losing their essence. Lanez had a hand in producing the bulk of the tape, along with Tim Curry, PlayBack, and the Mekanics. His next project, Lost Cause, is expected this summer, featuring production from RL Grime, Ryan Hemsworth and Noah Breakfast. He's currently on tour with Rockie Fresh and G-Eazy; dates and tickets are here.
Download: Tory Lanez' Chixtape 2
