Ivanunknown

If there's one thing Ivanunknown's debut album Fickle demonstrates, it's his ability to work well with others. Released through house producer Nick Holder's DNH Records, Fickle is a fairly straightforward R&B album. The production, supplied by an impressive bevy of established electronic producers such as Murr and DJ Catalist, is synth driven, atmospheric and sparse. This is of course in keeping with what some have begun to call the modern Toronto sound, similar to what 40, the Weeknd and PARTYNEXTDOOR have been doing. Ivanunknown's voice is quite strong and smooth across the entire project. While heavily drenched in reverb so as to add to the atmospheric depth, there is no reliance on exaggerated pitch correction, something his contemporaries have made popular. Unfortunately, some of the writing on the album does leave a little to be desired. The adherence to an overly rigid rhyming scheme is especially problematic at points throughout the project. Thankfully, the songs like "Solitude" and "The Quite Storm" will have you forgetting about the occasional missteps. The latter is particularly remarkable, with verses infused with tension only to roll into a Thundercat-like soothing chorus. "A Lullaby for Lila" is a simple ode to good companionship as told through a seemingly infinite number of vocal tracks that wash in and swirl around you. And an emotive Saukrates makes an appearance on "Make It By." Despite some of the aforementioned shortcomings, Ivanunknown is someone you're probably going to want to keep an eye on. There is an unquestionable amount of raw talent here; Fickle introduces a new and promising voice for Toronto.