Jimi Tents - 5 O'Clock Shadow

Pitchfork 79

Jimi Tents seems like a subdued 19 year old. "I'm depressed and faded," he confesses early on his debut project, a short EP called 5 O'Clock Shadow. That self-medicated crossroads isn't so unique for his age, after all, but the debut's sustained gloom stands out. The release is Tents' lone calling card, and at times he's rightfully fussed with how to frame the project. A couple months after releasing the original 7-track EP the Brooklyn rapper expanded the effort into a full LP of the same name. It seemed like he was testing the waters, and while the album fleshes out a more formal introduction, the streamlined original still carries the best work.

Tents has a breathless baritone that allows him to stretch out long phrases and carry a hook. The production on 5 O'Clock Shadow, overseen by the Vamp, is warm with embedded instrumentation, a brand of soulful easy-listening that begs for the punctuation of a singer. As a rapper Tents sculpts his verses out carefully, sometimes to the unfortunate point of leaning on familiar tropes. Still, he has an obvious sense for structure, and while the EP has several guests they're usually added voices instead of featured characters. On the opener, "The Way," Tents is overly cautious about the prospect of his music career and it's immediately apparent how much pressure he's placed on this outing. It's the Tunji Ige-assisted hook that pulls you in though, a ghostly chant about taking over that hits its mark.

Tents seems quietly apart from New York City's hip-hop scene: geographically he's from way out in East New York, Brooklyn, and figuratively he's adjoined to a crew called SLEEPERcamp, a burgeoning collective taking calculated steps to establish a brand in small doses. (Tents and crewmember Jay Bel were briefly managed by behind-the-scenes TDE coordinator Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr.) The track "All of It" brings in KeithCharles Spacebar of Atlanta's in-the-moment Awful Records, who joins Tents for an uncharacteristic-to-the-project trap sound. It seems like Tents is saying, "I can fit in this lane too," before burrowing back into his own character-building.

"Landslide" is the lone upbeat number here, a cheerful standout that both the EP and Tents use to stay afloat. "Elmer Fudd," Tents' original debut single released almost a year ago, bears out his somberly-executed charms: a knack for melody and precise delivery. "If a body drop in the hood, and no one around, does it make noise?" he asks. The whole debut carries that straight-forward polish; repeated listens won't necessarily bear out lyrical revelations, but the foundation is sound. In that way 5 O'Clock Shadow pulls off a professional introduction like a firm handshake and practiced party chatter, an accomplished first impression more than a winding conversation.