The young rap star experiments with genres and nostalgia, creating his best collection of music yet.
Jaden’s versatility as an artist and his unending talent has been supported and proven by his latest EP, a continuation of an eight-year project which started in 2012 with his first LP The Cool Cafe. Two years later, Smith released CTV2, before his super-smash debut album SYRE in 2017 which verified that he could match his father’s skill and brilliance.
While CTV3 is a very different sound to its predecessors, as well as The Sunset Tapes and his second studio album ERYS, his adventurous choice to explore the nostalgia of 60s/70s music and include tracks which aren’t heavily rap-based has certainly worked in his favor. Acting as a prequel to SYRE, invoking realism and detail, the EP tells a story of love and adulthood aided by Jaden’s ability in clever wordplay and his songwriting mastery.
The Album’s lead single Cabin Fever, a clever coincidence in the midst of a global pandemic and self-isolation, illustrated the underlying theme of young love which would become the focal point of CTV3. The collaboration with Justin Bieber (nine years since the immortal Never Say Never) titled “Falling for You” is a dark tale of losing yourself when falling in love. It’s immensely catchy beat and psychedelic pop-rock influence (very reminiscent of The Turtles “Happy Together”) make it one of Jaden’s best songs in years.
While it can’t be confirmed just yet if CTV3 beats the virtuosity of SYRE, it is an encyclopedic selection of genres and musical influences that confirm Jaden really is an “ICON” living. The lack of bold and reverberating rap beats found in his first albums and new use of nostalgia-infused music sequences that are much more chilled and feel-good exemplify his multifaceted capability as an artist.
Listen to Jades track, Falling for you featuring Justin Bieber!
