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Photo: Kyle Hozinger

Exploration is at the heart of all impactful music—whether that be an exploration of genre, experience, or identity. In his debut album, Xeno, rei brown surveys all three to great effect, unveiling a transfixing self-dissection of queerness, xenophobia, and self-growth buoyed by an intoxicating amalgamation of indie pop, muted electronic, and lo-fi R&B. 

For many, the first tease of Xeno arrived in “Thinking Bout You,” featuring previous collaborator and long-time friend Joji. The delicately put-together slowburn sees the two melancholic stars trading verses as they ruminate on lingering feelings of attachment and abandonment, capturing the highs of neon city lights and the lonely intimacy of sunrises. Yet, Xeno, taken together, feels like more than a singular standout collaboration but the crystallization of a lifetime of artistic intent.

Born in Kobe, Japan before relocating to Boston in 2011 to study songwriting, the now New York-based artist quickly laid his mark during the height of the SoundCloud era, a foundation that can be heard in his lush electronic textures that push and pull with emotional tension. However, this initial wave was not one rei brown chose to ride to its unknown summit. Following the release of his acclaimed debut EP, a string of successful releases, and a tour with Joji, the artist opted for a period of hiatus to explore literature and other art forms. The result of which can be heard in full in Xeno’s expansive scope.

Over the course of 15 genre-spanning tracks, rei brown charts a course that feels unrestricted by pretense or convention, dropping into the iridescent shores of “Waiting For You” one moment, standing at the precipice of hyperpop in the Lexc Stacy-assisted “White Honda” the next, only to find its way to the tantalizing unknowns hidden away in “Dosey Doe.” In how much space—thematically and sonically—Xeno manages to cover, it’s difficult to parse a single standout moment or track, but “Solar” establishes itself as a promising contender with its racing, squeaky production that drops away to allow for rei brown’s light-as-air vocals to shine. 

Xeno is a triumphant act of artistic and self-discovery and arguably an early contender for project of the year. This is a debut album that does more than present rei brown’s vision to the world; it cements his place with firm, resolute footing. 

Listen to Xeno below: