Redveil - "learn 2 swim" Album Review
Over the course of the past couple of weeks, I see at least one new response to this tweet, posted by @Western_Trad, on my Twitter timeline:
The tweet itself is a fun fact delivered in a snarky way that possibly aims to encourage but also shame the unproductive. More than anything, it begs the question: what have you done at or before the age of 23?
Since the tweet went live on January 12th, 2023, it has received over 50,000 quote retweets that, for the most part, have users sharing their accomplishments or creations from when they were a particularly young age, including creating memes, art, and music. One person who I was not surprised to see quote retweet this post was Marcus Morton, better known as Redveil.
“idk i made niagara when i was 16 so like,” @redveil informally humble-brags, referring to his 2020 album Niagara. In addition to his vocals, Morton produced a significant portion of songs on the album, including its lead single, “weight.” Abrasive and distorted percussion fights for your attention and tries to push down a sample of an expanding vocal harmony, all while Redveil’s unfazed flow glides by, often with copious echo as if he’s speaking from the top of a canyon. Niagara gained a notable amount of buzz when internet music critic Anthony Fantano expressed his disdain for “weight” after listening to it during a livestream, causing debates to ensue online. Nevertheless, Niagara is an impressive album, and shows a lot of promise and professionalism for a 16-year-old artist, and left many fans excited to see where he would go next.
In 2022, Redveil returned with a new album, released on his 18th birthday, entitled learn 2 swim. Compared to Niagara, Redveil’s latest artistic statement is more fully formed, consistent, and as mature as an 18th birthday can feel.
Morton produces nearly every track on learn 2 swim, and his arrangement skills are on full display here. Samples, artfully and tastefully chosen, are more of a background element rather than a main focus of many instrumentals. Many of the musical choices on the album add to the creation of its world; the neo-soul flavorings of a Rhodes keyboard, a transcendent guitar solo, and triumphant horns and piano all assist in creating lush, fluid instrumentals that blend together cohesively, with some songs even transitioning into each other.
Redveil’s vocals on learn 2 swim, still laidback and often slurred, are mixed to be more distinguishable this time around, and his singing is much better to boot. While he’s feeling confident about his upward trajectory, he isn’t dismissive of where he came from, dedicating standout track “pg baby” to his hometown of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Throughout the album, Redveil fears growing up, especially in the competitive environment of the hip hop industry, as feels as if he’s ready to accelerate his ascension to star status. However, he feels as if it’s a trial by fire, (or, as expressed on “diving board”, water).
“Said we was pressing through the shine, now we here / And we ain't got the time, we can't revel in fear / Need to hold my nose” - Redveil, “diving board”
Even though Morton just became an adult, his music still has a youthful sense of optimism and playfulness. He’s hungry, but aware of the length of the road ahead of him. learn 2 swim is a fantastic and important benchmark in Morton’s ever-expanding career and discography, and an underrated gem of 2022.
