Freshie - dirtyBOY!
Images 1 and 2 courtesy of ashton_peck.
dirtyBOY! is Freshie’s highly-anticipated 14-track Hip hop album. Released at midnight on March 25th, 2022, it totals a cool 32 minutes and 43 seconds. The project incorporates elements of many genres and sounds, both vocally and instrumentally. It manages to harness them in a manner that allows Freshie to appropriately express what he is feeling and trying to get out on each track. This encompasses nonchalant, reckless sounds as well as hyper, poignant ones; there is also room on the track for outliers that do not really fall under either of these umbrellas and take on a more experimental sound. Freshie is able to flirt with many different sounds and styles all while still speaking his truth and expressing himself and his emotions in a way that does not glorify or dwell on the negatives but rather portrays these things as a part of him. The name of the album is a representation of himself as the face of his brand (dirty), and together with the project, it kind of explains the meaning of it all. As I understand, he embraces his imperfections and shortcomings, accepting them as parts of himself, and trying to learn from them; the brand is an extension of this: we are all dirty. The project represents this, and it connects the dots; through the usage of lyricism, vocalization, and beat selection, Freshie is able to show us exactly what this means. He gives us a rundown of some of the things that he has been through and how they have affected him, as well as how they have helped him to get to the place in his life that he is at now. The album is very well-made. The mixing, mastering, and arrangement are pristine, the vocals are high-quality and interesting, and the lyrics are intentional, matching the feeling of each beat. The production across the project is very diverse and clean. It is chocked with beats from 808 Demon, Outtatown, Star Boy, and many more producers. dirtyBOY! has features from Saintlaurod, Trippie Redd, Lil Tracy, and Asian Doll. It is a blast.
spill!
The opening track of the project is enormous, with a high-key, massive lead and hard-hitting drums. Freshie reflects on his present lifestyle and elements of his past.
badGUY!
This one is high-tempo and rhythmic, with all of the sonic elements building off of each other to create suspense and energy which carries throughout the whole track and synergizes with his vocals. The song also has a very unique and high-energy music video directed by zenen_saneshige.
nothing! aboutIT!
A dissonant, trancey track with a wonky lead and a futuristic riff, as well as electric vocals; Freshie talks about his fast-paced and dangerous style of life.
couldn’tSTAND! aCHANCE!
A carefree song with banging drums, a digitized lead, and an energetic vocal performance.
alwaysSAYING! theWORST! (feat. Saintlaurod)
A fun, electronic song with a deep bassline and a catchy melody, as well as a nice vocal chop in the background, the vocals are harmonic and expressive, while the artists talk about their love lives—Freshie more about the frustrating side of things, and Saintlaurod with a more carefree approach.
knewTHAT!
A vibey, psychedelic cut, with a euphoric melody and riding drums; the track features some very nice vocalizations featuring Freshie talking about his style of living and his pursuit of money and relaxation.
midnightCLUB! (feat. Trippie Redd)
An emotionally-driven, deep track. Trippie Redd paints a picture of him in love with this girl, trying to give her his all, but their relationship is riddled with complications that he wants to overcome, as he needs her. Freshie extends this, by tackling this heartache in an honest manner, feeling hurt, but acknowledging that he must distance himself. The track has a very distinctive visualizer.
loseCONTROL! / crash! pt II
This one is energetic and spacey, with beautiful sounds such as wobs, a starry lead, and hard-hitting drums. Freshie vents his fears, as he is scared that he is going to crash.
even! ifIT! killsME!
An impassioned, harmonious track with thumping bass, a deep synth line, and various reverb elements which add a lot of depth to the track; his vocals are also very expressive, as he says that he wants to live how he is and be who he is even if it kills him.
trustMYSELF!
A trippy song with an airborne melody and hard drums, on which Freshie ventilates his concerns with love and how he cannot love this girl unless she loves herself, or trust her, because he does not trust himself.
when! i’mREADY!
A heavy track with a more heartfelt tone and subject matter. He goes into how he cannot be in love unless he is ready, and talks about how he lives the way that he wants to, regardless of what people think.
love! won’tLAST! / crash! pt I (feat. Lil Tracy)
A hazy, cloudy piece that uses a palette of vocal chops, synths, drums, harps, and other sounds to paint a picture of love and its indefinite nature. Freshie talks about how he cannot fall in love, as it will not last; Lil Tracy talks about experiences that he has had, and emphasizes that they are impermanent.
can’tCOME! inHERE!
A futuristic, wavy song with an 8-bit-esque melody, pixelated riffs, and banging drums. Freshie glides on the beat with a clean flow, talking about his style of living and how he protects his energy.
choppa! gotKICK! (feat. Asian Doll) *Bonus*
A lit, aggressive track with a ruthless melody, thrashing drums, and reckless vocals. Freshie talks about his style of living, and Asian Doll contributes an energetic feature that talks about her lifestyle.
All in all, dirtyBOY! is a high-quality project that is a whole lot of fun to listen to, but it does not neglect the emotions that went into its creation. It utilizes various sounds and sonic elements to create a blueprint, on which Freshie uses his lyrical and vocal abilities to build a structure that houses a distinctive collection of narratives, all of which represent Freshie and his brand (dirty), and what they mean; bringing a unique feel and subject. The album is rich in sound and full of lyrical substance, a refreshing listen.
