Florida Collective seeyousoon Is Breaking New Ground in 2021
The past decade has seen a mass proliferation of artistic collectives in the musical sphere, but in 2021 none generate as much excitement as Florida's seeyousoon. With a wide range of influences spanning from Flying Lotus to Amy Winehouse, the nine-piece ensemble represents an incredible amount of musical knowledge, passions, and styles.
After seeyousoon formed in 2018, many of their initial tracks showcased the collective gradually testing the waters, playing around with different collaborative methods and group chemistry. Though this was readily apparent on their debut record VIDÉ in 2020, this year seeyousoon sounds like a well-oiled machine on their latest cuts "Fever" and "Matte Black".
Though it may be difficult to describe seeyousoon's music in a way that does not feel reductive or simplistic, it is much easier to present their group's many unique blessings. Their current lineup - decorated with producers and performers alike - is both culturally and stylistically diverse.
Despite being a group with almost a dozen people, their artistic vision is one of clarity, both carefully made and thoughtfully produced. Above all, their work has a distinct creative charm that effortlessly communicates something rare in music: sincerity. From the mixes to the visuals, it is clear that seeyousoon cares about the audience understanding the art they put out.
Prior to the release of VIDÉ, seeyousoon released a handful of singles and videos, each one exploring the intersections between hip-hop, electronic, R&B, and experimental music. Among them was their breakout single "Steamy," and though a year later the track would be fast approaching a million streams on Spotify, at the time seeyousoon likely viewed this as their risky-yet-impassioned induction into the musical world.
In a Wonderland Interview, they even remarked that the instrumental had been turned down by another artist for being “too different.” Deviating away from many of modern hip-hop's trendy styles, "Steamy" sees seeyousoon bringing forth something new in the form of experimental and eclectic percussion, hard-hitting performances with meaningful lyrics, and a video that merges their chaotic aesthetic with an energy that is borderline infectious.
The video for "Steamy" is debatably just as good as the track it features, pulling the the audience in with its therapy narrative and retro film grain. There's a reason why we covered it then, and luckily now it seems like things have only gotten better for seeyousoon.
Citing the ever-evolving Florida music scene as one of their biggest inspirations, "Matte Black" sees seeyousoon coming full circle in 2021. Synthesizing Florida's signature intensity and abrasion with their own musical styles, seeyousoon delivers one of the strongest singles of the year.
Like their 2020 single "ICFWT," seeyousoon provides fans with a hard-hitting hip-hop banger full of lurching bass signals and electronic vocal distortion. "Matte Black" turns this up to eleven however, infusing a hip-hop-meets-experimental style into their vocalists' glitchy performances.
Though there is much to say about seeyousoon's sheer versatility, the most remarkable thing is that they are able to offer what many other collectives cannot: consistency. Whether making their debut or at the top of their game - seeyousoon is dependable in their ability to create music that is both innovative and captivating.
If you're a fan of hip-hop collectives or internet rap, seeyousoon should be an immediate addition to your weekly rotation. With the swagger of halcyon Brockhampton anthems and the intensity of Odd Future bangers, seeyousoon is a unique group whose mutualistic chemistry results in innovative and original experimentation. With more music coming down the pipeline this year, it is only a matter of time until they hit the mainstream.
