Willow Smith gives me hope for the state of pop music today. Her new album Empathogen is a genius collection of genre-bending songs, and just so interesting. The album released on May 3rd.
Willow is well-known as the daughter of actor Will Smith, true, but she has made a name for herself in music, too. So far as I can tell, she started out making more standard pop fare, but over the last few albums has morphed into something more innovative and straight-up progressive. On this new album, she brings with her seasoned musicians, including herself on vocals and guitar, Zach Brown on bass and percussion, Jon Baptiste on drums and piano, Chris Greatti on bass, guitar, percussion, and piano, Asher Bank on drums, Brad Oberhofer on piano, Zach Tenorio on piano and synth, Annie Clark on vocals, Eddie Benjamin on bass, drums, guitar, and synth, and Elijah Rawk on guitar and bass.
This music is honestly difficult to pigeonhole into a genre label. Willow is offering a sound that is a blend of pop, blues, jazz, prog rock, and something completely different. Obviously, there is the influence of R&B, but I would stretch that even further back to the Motown greats because I hear them all over the place (I love Motown).
What does that mean? While the album is pop, it is bent and manipulated into wild and technically brilliant vocal melodies that are both striking and memorable. The instrumentation is loaded with fantastic bass grooves and dynamic drumming, and I especially love the sparkling piano that appears on most tracks. In a way, the piano is the touchstone in the middle of constantly shifting time signatures and an eccentric vocal performance.
One of the things I like about the album is how all this musical maturity is contrasted with youthful and bold lyrics. Willow’s writing about her feelings and experiences, plus some philosophical takes, but it makes the album feel light and fun even in the midst of the obvious technical prowess. This is an album that the pop audience can appreciate, even if it’s more complex than most pop albums.
The album has twelve tracks, and I love all of them. I’ll be honest and say that this album takes multiple listens, though. You need to give yourself to it somewhat, allow it to take you on its quirky river of emotions and spunk. I would love to see some longer compositions, yes, as I feel a few of the songs could have been developed even more, but the album is a wonderful and deeply enjoyable listen nonetheless.
In the first half, my favorites are “Home”, the opening piece with an addictive groove and some truly stunning vocal notes; “Symptom of Life”, one of the catchiest songs of the year; the amazing “The Fear is Not Real”, where Willow really opens up her vocals in breathy and expressive style, and yet set against a fiery groove; and “Pain for Fun”, which features Anne Clark (St. Vincent) on guest vocals. I really like how their voices sound together, and I like how vulnerable the song feels in the last moments.
In the second half, the album becomes this fleeting collection of shorter pieces that, when strung together, really work. Songs like the melancholy “Down” play right up against the hyper “Run!”, making for a satisfying contrast. I really like “Between I and She”, a rocking piece with such a cool chorus, and then the closer, possibly my favorite overall, “bigfeelings”. This song has a warm and wonderful groove mixed with a vocal performance that is both expressive and technically difficult. I love the chorus, as I find myself singing it constantly, and I like how it ends the album on bold and bluesy note.
Willow Smith really is innovating in the pop scene right now. She’s pushing the limits of what her large audience is used to consuming, and I admire that. Empathogen is a deeply artistic work; there is no denying how influenced it is by the greats, but it is also definitively Willow and her unique personality. I’ve been listening to 2022’s <copingmechanism>, as well, and I highly recommend it—it even gets heavy at points. Willow is making music that will outshine the rest of mainstream pop music for years to come.
______________
Find Willow Smith online:
______________
______________
The PROG Mind 
Pingback: 2024 in Review // Best Albums/EPs From the Dreaded Year by Skyjelly - I Heart Noise·