In “The Matrix,” Neo chooses the red pill so he can help in the revolution against robots. In real life, the rapper Red Pill is resisting the techno sound with his soulful hip-hop.
Red Pill’s tertiary major-label project Day Drunk EP has been released — and it’s intoxicating.
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The Detroit hip-hop artist has been making a name for himself as an introspective type, always questioning the world around him with a mellow attitude and style.
Red Pill’s label, Mello Music Group, has found their niche in soulful sampling techniques with rappers who truly find meaning in their music, which perfectly represents Day Drunk EP.
The production team employed indie hip-hop legends Oddisee, Exile, Hir-O, Paul White and Alex Goose for subtle beats only a loose rapper like Red Pill can hit so well.
Day Drunk EP even features a verse from underground legend Blu, complementing the lax style of Red Pill with his rhythmic cut over the fleeting Oddisee-produced “Fly on a Window.”
Arguably the most depressing track on the EP, “Fly on a Window” hits the concept of loneliness as Red Pill just thinks to himself while doing the dishes and sweeping the floor.
“Day Drunk EP” shines a light on Red Pill’s life and the project makes more sense when comparing it with his last album, Look What This World Did To Us. The previous release defines the world as a sad place, but you can always drink a beer.
Day Drunk EP is almost a part two, where Red Pill paints the world in color when you have that beer.
Because of the reliance on drinking, the double-album concept sounds a lot like alcoholism. It is, however, a beautiful way of depicting coping mechanisms and listeners can easily find meaning in Red Pill’s art.
The self-produced title track “Day Drunk” brings the EP full circle when Red Pill says, “goodbye to summertime.” The thought of loneliness is definitely a motif, but “Day Drunk” challenges this element by recognizing there are friends to drink with, all while the looping piano and vocal samples add to the happiness. It feels like a warm, rainy day.
It might not be as intense or dynamic as Look What This World Did To Us, but Day Drunk EP is an epic follow up and vividly depicts Red Pill’s profound sophistication in six relaxed tracks.
