On December 13, 2019, Philadelphia based artist, Curty, released his debut EP Transyldelphia. With the longest track being only 2 minutes and 36 seconds long, Curty glimpse inside his mind as he traverses through thoughts of unhappiness about the present, the future, and life.
Unhappiness. That’s the main theme of this EP. When discussing the inspiration behind the EP, Curty was quoted in saying “I was going on my fourth year of living in Philadelphia and I felt fucking stuck. Leaving felt like it would drive me deeper into insanity and staying here felt like a nightmare,” Curty continues, “TRANSYLDELPHIA is a reflection of the past few years of my life and how miserable I was and kinda still am.” This statement is really reflected in these songs as they discuss the struggles of being in a new environment as well as the difficulties that come with relationships.
Once you start listening to this EP, you honestly can’t stop. I’ve had the entirety of Transyldelphia on repeat since pressing play. It’s an experimental blend of hip hop, emo pop, and a touch of folk that I’ve never heard before. What I find the most interesting is how different each song is. The title track definitely leans more into the folk genre at the first half and suddenly transitions to a more trap instrumental in the second. “Worry” has a heavy garage band influence, contrasting with the following track, “Magic”, feeling more whimsical. A more alternative rock sound is heard in “Sixtythree”. The last track, “Newnightmare”, goes back to a more folk sound in the introduction and then blends to an alternative pop tune. It’s with the blending of genres that keeps the listener on their toes no matter how many times they’ve listened to the EP.
You can find Curty’s EP on most major streaming platforms. Make sure to give it a listen!
Article by Michelle Castillo
