Sound Check: Confetti
Today, rapper Jack Harlow dropped a project titled Confetti - his fourth official release that he’s dubbed a “mixtape.” I came across Jack Harlow a year ago or so on a Sway's Universe interview as I was thumbing through YouTube (shout out to the recommended playlist).
Jack Harlow Confetti Album Cover
When I first came across Jack, he immediately reminded me of friends I grew up with. Eager, wet behind the ears, yet somehow far more wise and mature than his hairless, pubescent face lead on to be. This interview was right around the time of the release of Loose, a 13-track mixtape dropped back in 2018.
Behind his most recent drop, Confetti, Jack flexes an impressive work ethic. On his Instagram story, he cites carefully choosing “12 of the best tracks” from a catalog of 150 that created what is Confetti. The boy is working, and he’s diligent about his sound and his craft. He’s careful about sides of Jack that he shows us. Being from the K-Y, no jelly, artists like Bryson Tiller and Jack Harlow are creating the soundscape for fertile soil where a new style of hip hop can germinate - my poetic euphemism for his team Private Garden.
For me, Confetti is a teaser for Jack and his fans. He’s whetting his appetite and his audiences’. Sharing his art carefully, yet consistently, and making sure he harnesses things that come to him most naturally.
He’s refreshing and young - emphasis on the young - and I think there’s a lot of room for him to grow in a great way.
In keeping with the theme of this 12-track taster, here’s a breakdown of each track dissected like a wine tasting: the top notes and what each track pairs well with.
GHOST
Top notes: Heat with bite
Pairs well with: Low lighting and a pair of crease-less all white uptowns.
ROTTEN
Top notes: A sour mean mug with a mouthful of kush
Pairs well with: Double fisting Henny and Patron
DENTYNE
Top notes: Minty coolness
Pairs well with: Is it wild corny if I say mint gum?
SUNDAY NIGHT
Top notes: Hazy, thick sweetness with mellow tones
Pairs well with: Laying on the bed drunk watching your ceiling fan spin on low
WARSAW
Top notes: Bubble gum
Pairs well with: Arizona Green Tea on a stoop
BIG CHILLIN
Top notes: Coastal air layered with a nose of boasting
Pairs well with: The front of a boat for a Hype Williams production. Oh, and Pharrell
GOIN BACK DOWN
Top notes: Sweet grape and black ice air freshener
Pairs well with: A slow, nighttime drive, just about anywhere
THRU THE NIGHT
Top notes: Lysol and cocoa butter
Pairs well with: Choreographed dancing on a roller coaster
WALK IN THE PARK
Top notes: Malt mixed with burnt plastic
Pairs well with: Thumbing through ends while constantly checking your watch
RAIN
Top notes: Hints of smooth ozone
Pairs well with: Deep conversation on the hood of a car looking at the stars
HEAVY HITTER
Top notes: A crescendo of brightness with a lot of shoulder movement
Pairs well with: Eight spritzes of cologne on the neck and a fuckin’ baseball bat
RIVER ROAD
Top notes: Clean notes with a variety of hilly slopes
Pairs well with: A hoodie, wet pavement, and an aimless walk