Ever wonder where broken hearts go after a bad breakup? Well, some of them easily move on while others write songs to cope and that’s how this album, 23 was born. Stinkus, who is an artist previously known for his projects with big names like WILD, girlhouse, Smallpools, The Mowgli’s, Timothy Edward Carpenter, and Jon Bryant, is the braintank behind this intense album. It is loaded with raw emotions and as a debut album, this 14-track release is a deep dive towards heartbreak, vulnerability, and resilience to choose a path for a better future.
“23” is a shred of evidence that something great can come out of a very bad situation. Crafted days after a bad breakup, the 14 tracks crafted in this album are witnesses of all the bad episodes of the hardest phase of Stinkus’ life. Through this, his emotions were regulated providing a great escape from the pain and struggles that he is experiencing. There is no sugarcoating the pain he’s experiencing. No holds barred. Every emotion is being dissected, acknowledged, and ultimately, taking its path to healing.
It started off with the song “IAm”, just like the majority of the tracks in this album, it is acoustic. Upon playing the song, your ears will be filled with the calming strums of guitars as well as the calming vocals of the artist. This can also be observed in the tracks, “Fucked Up Song”, “Not Like Dying”, and “Gone For Good”.
While the tracks are indeed presented in a calming and soothing manner because of their acoustic genre, you can’t help but notice how every line on each track carries a certain level of heaviness. It is like listening to something ready to burst. It is calm, yet intense and it can make your skin prickle in anticipation of what might come next.
The main track of this album is also called “23”. Just like other tracks it is also loaded with the signature acoustic sounds of Stinkus. This song is heavy with unexpressed emotions and it was translated to beautifully written lyrics that discuss love and how it prospered, of how when you’re young you’re so easy to get fooled. These themes are just so relatable to the audience that listening to this track feels like listening to your own story. The vulnerability that was shown by Stinkus in this track (I daresay in this whole album) resonates so deeply.
Stinkus’ 23 holds great power because of its honesty. If you were a fan of all his pop production, all these tracks in this latest release will definitely take you by surprise. This album has the power to draw you closer and the tracks have the ability to connect directly to its listeners. This isn’t just his story; I daresay, this story is ours. This music wraps itself like a warm blanket to people who have gone through the same hardships in life.
The eccentric and messy parts of this album relate to the way people deal with the messy aftermaths of every bad break up. Everybody struggles to carry the weight of all the emotional baggage while yearning for something better.
Overall, this album is something close to everyone. I consider it as some kind of therapy but in the form of music. It reflects courage as Stinkus was brave enough to bare himself through this music. Also released along this album were tracks, “Spiral”, “Rodeo Mary”, “Gone For Good”, “Follow”, “Good Luck, Good Love”, “Star”, “Something to Eat”, “Fal/Restart”, “mollie”, and “Summer day”. Prepare to be challenged, moved, and inspired by Stinkus’ music. Check out “23” available now on all streaming platforms!
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About the Author
Born and raised in one of the 7000-ish islands in the Philippines, a self-proclaimed professional fangirl, with a degree in Biology. She probably annoy the people around her so much for not speaking and speaking too much. A frustrated writer, yes!
