If it wasn't already obvious that North West, heir to the West-Kardashian throne, has also inherited massive star charisma, take ten minutes to listen to his debut EP. In six tracks, North West traverses the sonic styles of his generation — from nu-metal riffs to rage rap 808s — with a confidence that is, we might say, quite surprising. At just 12 years old, his debut is notable regardless of his famous pedigree. Because even if you come from a family like this, talent must be recognized. And that's exactly what happens with N0rth4evr.
The EP opens with H0w Sh0uld ! f33lwritten with the same eccentric and chaotic handwriting as the titles of Whole Lotta Red by Playboi Carti. It lasts just under two minutes. The song starts in emo territory, with a melodic voice that could come from an Evanescence B-side, and then launches into tight drums that fit perfectly into Slayyyter's hyperactive hyperpop universe, influenced by the musical eclecticism of the internet. “They don't see me, they just see the appeal,” he raps.
In #N0rth4evr the emotional heart of the project emerges. It would be easy to dismiss it all very quickly, but then you get the angst that exudes from some of his pieces. The daughter of one of the most observed couples in the history of pop culture demonstrates an awareness that goes well beyond her years. North's first single, Piercings on My Handtransformed the media attention on her style choices into a hit; Likewise, the songs on the new EP address the reality of being born into fame.
“How I'm younger than you, but I'm who you look up to,” he raps in D!e.
Th!st!m3 instead it brings the EP's emo sensibility into focus, fusing its different sonic influences. As a “producer and curator of sound”, North seems less interested in recreating the past and more in metabolizing the chaos of the present: abrasive guitars, post-punk rhythms embellished with a hyperpop veneer, all crossed by a diaristic melodrama typical of a generation raised online. The final track, Aishiteseems to distill teenage angst into its purest form. “Can't be no one's friend, I can't let nobody in,” he raps, managing to touch on a universal experience of adolescence while speaking from his extremely unique position.
It is precisely this tension that pays off N0rth4evr a fascinating experiment. Rather than feign anonymity or mystery, North embraces the fact that his life has been public since before he had a choice. But in these six tracks she begins to transform that unwieldy legacy into creative material, shaping the noise around her into something of her own. N0rth4evr it's short, but it leaves a surprisingly lasting impression: the sound of a young artist not just entering the family business, but starting to define the contours of her own mythology.
From Rolling Stone US
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
