Larger Than Life is well renowned R&B artist Brent Faiyaz’s most recent studio release, following his most successful sophomore album Wasteland, which earned him three consecutive entries on the Billboard Top 100. Larger Than Life is the latest project from multifaceted Faiyaz, well known for his smooth vocals and part in the R&B group Sonder.
Faiyaz gave his fans a pleasant surprise when he dropped this mixtape without warning, simply releasing WY@ as a single a month prior to Larger Than Life’s drop on October 27th 2023.
Last One Left Was the song I was most excited for as soon as I saw the legendary Missy Elliot was giving a rare feature. Her background vocals create an earthy warble that is almost unrecognizable to the untrained ear, but an avid fan of Elliot can hear her influences all through this song. Up-and-comer Lil Gray, however, adds very little to the already multifaceted vocals. Although this mixtape doesn’t feel fully fledged, as a mixtape it doesn’t have to be. It provides an amazing snippet into what Faiyaz’s trajectory is and just how far he has to come as an artist.
With top notch production, the 36 minute mixtape is full of Fayaiz ‘s signature vocal layering and R&B musicality. Forever Yours is a perfect example of that. Fit with silky vocals layered over a sonic beat, this song conveys a longing to fulfill a promise of loyalty. On the flip side, the most popular song of the mixtape, Best Time, switches into a feel-good rhythmic beat, which helped it gain traction on social media platforms. It describes a good time while simultaneously providing the listener with one as well, inviting them to bop their heads to the earworm of a chorus paired with an upbeat rhythmic beat. Best Time and Moment of Your Life ft Coco Jones, are the closest this mixtape gets to that full Faiyaz album feeling. Moment of Your Life sees two amazing vocalists fall into each other creating effervescent harmonies that carry the song. Coco Jones exhibits her strength of just how well she can fill a song with her presence.
WY@ and Pistachio end off this mixtape complete with a predictable Fayiaz exit, that leaves me with a sense of unfinishedness, longing for more. WY@ is most reminiscent of Wasteland. Fayiaz brings in a bass heavy hook with core beat drops, “You’re the death of me, and the remedy” Fayaiz desperately sings, signingling a burgeoning ending. This mixtape is a good quick listen, a do your homework kind of mixtape with some solid tracks, missing the heaviness and underlying complexity that Fayiaz captured on his previous album Wasteland. Larger Than Life may not live up to what’s expected of Fayiaz at this point in his career from his fans, but that’s ok. At its core, Larger Than Life is a mixtape in motion. It’s on its way, but it hasn’t yet gotten to its destination. Still with Fayiaz in the driver’s seat you can be sure to enjoy the ride.
This article also appear in our January 2024 print edition.
