St. Louis rapper, singer, and producer Ryan Trey drops his new EP 64 East Saga which takes us through his state of mind as a twenty-one year old trying to juggle all the vices associated with becoming an artist on the rise. This project exudes a late night moody vibe accompanied by sounds reminiscent of Drake and PartyNextDoor.
The 14 track EP kicks off with “X6 Intro” which is an early indication of the toxic yet provocative lyricism that will follow. Ryan’s confidence soars as he raps with intensity over a mellow beat. It is evident that he has refined his skills as an artist and is eager to present himself in a different light compared to his soulful debut album August.
Ryan goes from asserting his dominance in “X6 Intro” to teasing us with the inner-workings of his psyche in “Rollin.” The hit 2020 single touches on all the complex emotions experienced in an unhealthy relationship. Ryan’s versatility as an artist is exemplified in this track. The song begins with Trey singing the chorus with heavy-hearted lyrics, “just hurt me it’s fine, just hurt me it’s fine.” The mood of the song becomes more angry in the first verse as he throws bars discussing the frustration that comes from dealing with a partner’s toxic tendencies.
Told your momma you ain’t play me, when you sorta did
Tryna flip the script on me, oh, here we go again
Yeah, I left you last time, don’t get you dropped again
Say you love me more than money, what it cost then?
This piece’s juxtaposition between Ryan’s rapper and singer personas accentuates the stylistic growth he has achieved since August. Mr. Trey sprinkles in a high-energy banger among his many contemplative tracks with “It’s About a Girl.” This playful track touches on all the thoughts that arise during the early stages of attraction. The production of this track is comparable to PartyNextDoor’s first self-titled EP.
Ryan transitions from a Toronto vibe to a Houston realm of sound in “64 Interlude.” The chopped and screwed sonance gives this record a risqué feel. The tempo picks back up in “Nowhere to Run” which features a great collaboration with Kentucky’s R&B star Bryson Tiller. This track is guaranteed to have crowds singing along because of the catchy lyrics and great melodic chemistry between Tiller and Ryan.
This project closes out with “Far from St. Louis” which summarizes his journey rising up in the industry as R&B’s newest triple threat. This anti-love piece highlights opposing emotions. It begins with a sample from Mariah Carey‘s heartfelt “My All” then transitions into Ryan rhyming about how love has to take the backseat to his career and tour lifestyle for now.
And then the money loves me, I’m in it, yeah, yeah
Hit the club with the honeys, I’m in it, yeah, yeah
If the devil wanna dance, I’ma tell her, “Yeah, yeah”
Rating: 8/10
