Rex Orange County started making music at the age of 16, and in just four years, he's become an outright sensation. Tyler, The Creator has tapped him to collaborate on Scum F Flower Boy ("Boredom"), and he's played as a part of Frank Ocean's touring band, in addition to performing on stage with Skepta for the Mercury Awards show. bcos u will never b free was the UK artist's 2016 debut, and he follows up the digital-only release with Apricot Princess, which is named after a pet name for his girlfriend and singer, Thea. The jazz/soul-pop 10-tracker is a pleasant listen but w/ a lot of melancholic twists, as Rex weave together songs about love, happiness, and sadness. Raw, honest melodies are layered on top of various rhythms patterns, shifting in mood from the ups to the downs. "Apricot is quite introverted. It's an inside album," Rex says, and tracks like "Apricot Princess," "Untitled," "4 Seasons," "Rain Man," and "Television / so Far so Good" sure back up his claim.

• orange vinyl
• includes insert
• music label: Rex Orange County 2018

reviewed by singing japanese 11/18