Toro Y Moi – Hole Erth

The latest offering from Toro y Moi ‘Hole Erth’ prides itself on its boldness. Stepping headfirst into the synth-littered world of rock, bedroom rap and Y2K emo, the album doesn’t hesitate to completely lean into these new found sounds, with the clarity and expertise that has been heard throughout his discography thus far. When combined with some excellent guest features, the skill and courageousness demonstrated make this album an intriguing listen – thankfully for all the right reasons.

The beginning of the album sees the artist fault his expertise independently, such as on the brash, yet foreboding production and vocal combo on the track ‘HOV’. However, it’s when the numerous guests on this work make an appearance, that the album seems to flourish into its own. ‘Hollywood’, a brooding hazy pondering on LA’s glitzy underbelly, sees Benjamin Gibbard take to the mic, delivering an emotional performance while aided by warped vocals. ‘Madonna’ is another stellar addition, with a lilting crooner style melody delivered by heavy-hitter Don Toliver. Overall, these features littered throughout the album bring Toro y Moi genre shifting production to the forefront, providing an ideal accompaniment to such a dramatic change.

The artist himself commented on how familiar this new sound feels stating – “There’s always more to be done in the electronic world…” ‘Hole Erth’ feels like the epitome of that discovery process. An ever-shifting, yet cohesive addition to a stacked discography, this new album may surprise listeners at first – but will ultimately sit as a pivotal, guiding light in the music of Toro y Moi.

8/10

Words: Lily Blakely-Edwards

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