In My, Coker often succeeds in utilising his distinct, higher-pitched vocals to shape a deft, rather breezy EP. Clocking in at just over 15 minutes, there’s a quality over quantity approach taken, one which ultimately ends up bringing with it consistent results.
Opener “Replay,” with its mellow, resonant rhythm guitar riff and repeating trap beats nimbly floats along its runtime, the soft vocals aided by the minimal backdrop Coker allows himself to work with. It’s an inarguably congruous opener, and although the song never strides towards a grand climax, or indeed anything resembling a full-bodied ending, it does a good job of bringing in the listener without giving too much away.
It also provides a seamless transition into the EP’s more melodic title track, which favours a fleshed-out rhythmic backbone complete with dainty piano sections and a lingering feeling of optimism. This time opting to go with more traditional sounding drums in the mix, “My” also has a more authentic feel, something appreciated given the potential temptations to continue with a more simplistic trap formula.
“Nest” does opt to soften the mood, with the plucked, slow-moving acoustic guitar flanking raspier vocals. Here, Coker lets himself shine a bit more, centralising his voice amongst the minimalist instrumentation. roku gives a good account of himself too, using his deeper, almost gravelly delivery helping to maximise the rawer feel of the track.
“Slip” returns proceedings to a more familiar sound, though, leading with a similar-sounding rhythm guitar to the opener, and adding trap elements to uplift the sleek vocals. It’s not too dissimilar from “Replay” stylistically, and because the release isn’t long enough for an adequate amount of time to have been spaced between the two songs, “Slip” does suffer from feeling a tad repetitive, even if it’s hard to pick holes in the actual sound itself.
With that in mind, “Paint Over” does ensure a solid ending, and smartly uses the lighter-yet-full acoustic guitar melody to draw out an understatedly emotional vocal performance. The eventual climax is a highlight here too, with the band-like composition affording the track a more well-rounded feel, in addition to some much-needed resonance.
Given that Coker seems to be at his best when stripped back, as his voice does more to set him apart from his peers than trendy instrumentals could, perhaps a release along these lines could help refine some of the more inconsistent edges that appear from time to time.
All in all, Coker does fairly well with My. There may not be anything that particularly stands out, but there is nothing that warrants harsh critique either. As this is an artist still finding their feet, it could well be worth keeping an eye on what Coker does next, especially if he finds a way to more effectively balance his strong vocals with his backdrops.
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