Khalid Takes Things Close To Home In "Suncity"

Amongst R&B’s newest faces, Khalid has caught many people’s attention. His relatable yet unique music has always captured people’s attention, and he’s getting even more personal in his latest record. Khalid takes things close to home in Suncity, his new album where he draws upon the very roots of his person.

Suncity has a very humbling atmosphere about it that serves as a testament to Khalid’s character. Opening track ‘9.13‘ is a lo-fi speech introduction, an audio recording of Khalid getting the key to the city of El Paso, showing that Khalid is proud of his origins and will not stop representing them. The track directly transitions into ‘Vertigo,‘ a chiller and more reflective track where Khalid looks to his past and encourages others to learn form theirs as well. There’s an apparent sense of growth in Suncity, Khalid proudly showing his roots while still acknowledging he’s changed and is still changing.

Much of Suncity has this sweet and relaxed atmosphere that Khalid is best known for, and he does so in dynamic ways to keep things interesting. As sweet as ‘Saturday Nights‘ is, it’s on a whole other side of the spectrum than the smoother ‘Better,’ even though they have similar vibes on the surface. Khalid keeps a reflective front up in tracks like ‘Salem’s Interlude,’ which captures a nice moment in time before continuing into ‘Motion.’ Closing track, the eponymous ‘Suncity,’ keeps things smooth and laidback to takes things out, with a little help from Empress Of.

Khalid takes things close to home in Suncity, grabbing hold of his roots and proudly embracing them while also reflecting upon his past. It’s a very humbling record and shows Khalid’s real character, all the while still being an easy album to listen to and absorb.

Favorite Track: Suncity

Least Favorite Track: Motion

Rating: 75 / 100

Stream or buy Suncity on Apple Music, and follow our 2018 Playlist on Spotify: