Change is Colde’s Only Constant

A Q&A with Colde about his musical identity and a review of his new album

Photo courtesy of wavy

What three words or phrases best describe your new music?
“Unease,” “Passion,” and “Leap.”

Can you talk about some of the album’s collaborations?
I'd like to talk about two tracks that really stand out to me: “DRIPPY,” made with punchnello, and “DOLLAR BILLS,” made with my longtime friend Khakii.

punchnello and I worked together back in our Club Eskimo days, and after a long time apart, this is finally the first time he's joined my own discography. That [music video] was directed by IDIOTS, the team I've had a long relationship with, so it turned into a really great video. 

Khakii and I got to work together again for the first time since “Juicy,” and this is actually the very first time Khakii has been part of my discography. Maybe that's why he practiced his verse almost a thousand times, or so I heard! There's a great verse in there, so look forward to it.

Your new EP is all about youth. Why was that an important theme to you?
As I put the album's tracks together, [a] range moving between coolness and passion felt like the duality of youth itself, unsteady and unsure, yet still pushing forward. From when I first introduced myself as “offonoff” ten years ago to now, both [I and my] circumstances have changed a lot, but the passion I bring to music is just as intense as it was back then. By speaking honestly, I wanted to tell everyone living through their own youth right now to keep moving forward.

Is there anything else you want to share about your new music?
ICY BABY is the first step of a new journey towards my upcoming full-length album. That's why I put so much care into it, working closely with every team [member] and pushing myself into new challenges along the way. This album carries a lot of passion and deep thought, so I hope you'll listen to it and enjoy this moment, my youth, and yours.

Photo courtesy of wavy

Review
This R&B/hip-hop project’s strokes paint a clear big picture, while specific colors give different parts of the listening experience a distinct look. Colde excels at channeling youth’s mix of wavering and stabilizing moments through stylistic consistencies that come with caveats. An example is the constant use of a second voice. This additional (often backup) vocal is sometimes Colde’s own voice and sometimes a collaborator’s; sometimes layered right on top of Colde’s voice to amplify a statement, but other times speaking before or after Colde; and sometimes offering an original, snarky comment (like “No sh*t” in “ICY”!), while other times just parroting what Colde has said. Other contrasts come from lyrics along the lines of “I am a very big deal” with tempos and tones that most often sound like “no big deal”! There are also some more dramatic disruptions to an otherwise cool flow: abrasive electronic clashes “LIFE IS A MOVIE” and “SHUT DA FXXKA AND GO,” which are smartly separated on the track list to pack individual punches.

The best two songs have different strong suits. “GIRLS ♡” is proof that Colde can do smoother lane changes when he wants to; it sounds livelier than the preceding tracks without being the wide-awake jolt to the extent of other songs. “BIG TALK” also deserves a shoutout, for proving the collaborations on ICY BABY go from a strong bite to the strongest!

Overall, there is diversity in the details in ICY BABY that allows it to walk the line between catching and keeping a clear flow and seeming sonically scattered for no reason. It reflects a range of musical inclinations, and continuing to dabble in that range will serve Colde well.

Check out ICY BABY here!

View the Substack version of this piece here!

Interview answers have been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.