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Oct 04, 2021 Web Exclusive By Joey Arnone

When Tommy Genesis coined the term “fetish rap” as a means of categorizing her music, she wasn’t necessarily giving it a sexual connotation, rather using it as a means of describing the niche appeal of her music. Her sonic brand since the release of her 2015 debut mixtape, World Vision, has been that of bridging the gap between mainstream and underground sensibilities, and this same ethos is carried forth on her sophomore album, goldilocks x, even directly referenced on the seductive, playful opener “peppermint.”

Genesis stated in a recent interview: “You know in ‘Goldilocks’ where she’s like, ‘It’s too hot, it’s too cold, this chair is too big, it’s too small?’ ‘Goldilocks’ is the sweet spot. And the ‘x’ is experimental.” In this regard, goldilocks x is seemingly the album of a rapper who has found her niche and is reveling in it, possessing the spirit of an independent artist and marching to the beat of her own 808.

While Genesis’ modus operandi is admirable in its own right, it’s difficult to find where it exactly applies to the finished product. Goldilocks consists mainly of generic trap-flavored production paired with Genesis’ often clumsy writing—lyrics such as “I’m chewing on your earlobe/It’s us against the whole world” on “wild child” can prove to be a bit grating. Most songs don’t run for longer than two minutes—the Tierra Whacks and Earl Sweatshirts of the world know how to use short song lengths to their advantage, but for Genesis, it merely adds to the interchangeable vibe of many a song on the tracklist. The album feels more like a collection of hastily strewn together demos as opposed to fully fleshed out songs.

The album isn’t without its highlights, however. Aforementioned opener “peppermint” is somewhat of a banger, and Genesis graces nearly each track with her signature swagger that she unabashedly donned on her 2017 breakout single “Tommy.” The song “fuck u u know u can’t make me cry” sees her leaning into her SoundCloud emo rap bag à la Lil Peep to mixed results, but the chorus is actually decent, and she manages to wring out some genuine emotion with unfiltered vulnerability.

Goldilocks x proves that Genesis still has the presence to command a beat with her atmospheric, sultry voice and natural swagger, but the mediocre writing and production keeps her from bringing a cohesive, compelling body of work to fruition. Here’s hoping that on her next album, she will finally find the right mix. (www.tommygenesis.com)

Author rating: 4/10