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Pure and simple is the best way to describe Pink Sweats’ first two projects, Volume 1 and Volume 2. The Philly native arrived in the summer of 2018 with his breakout single, “Honesty.” Finding success in the mainstream world, Pink Sweats would thrive with his acoustic sound, filling the room with nothing besides his falsettos wrapped in the lulling strums of his guitar. It’s these songs that delivered the warmth and comfort provided by a campfire that registered well with fans and helped him stand out in the trapsoul-driven genre.
Prolonging the wait for his debut album, which he revealed is titled Pink Planet, Pink Sweats recently shared his third EP, The Prelude. Departing from his acoustic sound, he makes use of the other instruments that lay around the studio for a more balanced and fulfilling body of work.
Seconds into The Prelude, Pink Sweats causes the ear to perk up with its intro track, “Give It To Me.” Bringing trumpets and drums into play, the joyous and groovy track wishfully reaches for the first tease at true love. Begging his lover to embrace the potential of their growing romance, he also promises to deliver the fruits that deep down she longs for in a relationship. “Tell me where you wanna go,” he sings. ‘You know I’ll be right there for you.” The once soft-spoken and gentle lover returns a year removed with a new dose of confidence and wistful charm to steer the way.
While expansion is in order for The Prelude, Pink Sweats achieves it while bringing the sound that originally brought him success. In the backend of the album, “At My Worst” and the closer “Lows” challenge the possibilities of love when either side is not at their best or most perfect. On the former, he poses many questions, including “can you be my lover up until the very end,” all to quench insecurities before the relationship begins. The EP’s closer “Lows” presents a return of the falsettos and guitar strums as he looks to calm the fears of his lover.
Balancing the new with the old, the brightest moment on the EP comes on “Icy.” The saucy track explodes with “24K Magic”-esque charisma and leaves debris of confidence all over the song. It finds him showering himself with flattering compliments and boldly wears a clean suit of confidence to match the boastful chains that dangle from his neck. “Diamond in my soul, I can never break,” he boasts. “Pinkie off the glass, really change the taste.”
Pink Sweats succeeds by reshaping the horizons and pushing the limits his fans once believed he was enclosed in. For what it’s worth, the Philly singer stayed clear of any criticisms of a repetitive sound, making the well-timed choice to leap towards expansion. The Prelude is the epitome of ideal progression from project to project. Pink Sweats shows clear growth as an artist and the drive to widen his artistic territories in order to provide a varying experience. The EP is unique in the sense that rather than presenting fans with all that resides on his Pink Planet, he opts to prepare them as best as he can with one last body of work that adds color to a work of art he will soon present.
The Prelude is out now via Atlantic. Get it here.
Pink Sweats is a Warner Music artist. .
