skaiwater- rave, Reviewed
By: Noah Weinberg
When pressing play on Skaiwater’s twenty-seven-minute EP, rave, one is typically hit with two critical questions:
Is Skaiwater male or female? Because it’s nearly impossible to discern from the music.
What genre of music does this EP fall into?
Firstly, Skaiwater is very much male, although his voice pushes the boundaries of a musical tenor. Secondly, Skaiwater’s music is unequivocally genreless. His limited discography is filled with emo hip-hop, jersey club, and alternative singer-songwriter, all culminating in a hodgepodge of musical eclecticism. Skaiwater has seen a steady rise in fame, but 2022 was his breakthrough year. The twenty-two-year-old, UK-bred producer-rapper recently inked a deal with Geffen Records, who pushed Skaiwater to collaborate with Lil Uzi Vert on the viral TikTok track “miles.” While opening the European leg of Lil Nas X’s Long Live Montero Tour in November, Skaiwater decided to hit fans with rave that same month.
Rave is a uniquely spectacular, albeit slightly blemished debut studio release from Skaiwater. From the woozy ballad opener, “joy,” to the acoustic finale, “meet me at the tryouts,” Skaiwater educates the listener on his wide-ranging, complex emotions toward love and romance. Skai delicately describes his ideal “womanizer” on “eyes,” while on “ihy,” he internally questions his quarrels with that same lover, eventually reaching a conclusion in the track’s chorus with a straightforward, “I fuckin’ hate you.” Rave’s songwriting is intentionally simple and direct, allowing the necessary room to marvel at Skaiwater’s buoyant instrumentation.
Generally speaking, the jersey-club production on rave is unique and full of character. The swinging drums on “auto” (which, by the way, are eerily similar to the percussion on Kanye’s “Love Lockdown”) leave the audience captivated for the entirety of the track’s two-minute runtime. The same can be said for “ihy’s” rumbling bassline, which pairs perfectly with Skai’s more subdued vocal performance. Most of rave’s tracks build and build in musical density until an eventual breaking point, where typically, a cacophony of high-pitched harmonies, rattling percussion, and synths burst through into a series of climactic conclusions. It’s an artistic formula that mainly works, but if Skaiwater is to reach prolonged superstardom, his song structures need to develop into something less predictable.
While still the highlight of this EP, rave’s production can be a bit erratic and all over the place. Distorting experimentation isn’t necessarily bad for an emerging producer like Skaiwater, but the finished product can occasionally underwhelm the listener. For example, on “boys don’t cry,” a warped electric guitar stings the ear harshly, and Skaiwater’s whiny vocals do nothing to redeem this dumpster fire.
Rave is a wonderful first effort from Skaiwater, and I think 2023 is bound to be a big year for the mysterious foreigner. Skai’s production is flawed, but still, he oozes such discernible talent. Not to mention, his voice is one of the most distinct I’ve ever heard. I envision continued success and virality for Skaiwater, and who knows, we may even see a collaboration with long-time friend Lil Nas X. I’d love to see Skaiwater croon over more zestful production on future projects, like some brass instruments or a glittering grand piano. Still, there’s a real chance that Skaiwater will become the next big thing in the music industry, and with an effort like rave, he’s well on his way.