A woozy, muffled flute sample opens the EP on the first track, "LIFE OR DEATH". Soon enough, a heavy synth bass enters under shuffling 12/8 percussion. Thai Thai delivers a meditative and thoughtful first verse dealing with mortality and death through a detached, disaffected delivery before rapidly switching to an aggressive, raw, shouting delivery as the beat modulates upwards in key; the result ends up feeling like a stylistic cross between Scarlxrd and J Cole. The track rather successfully communicates the dichotomy between melancholy and aggression that often comes hand in hand with loss, and sets up the EP to deliver a thought-provoking, tortured hip hop experience.
A jazzy, retro-flavored conscious rap instrumental anchored in sweet harp chords lays a foundation for Thai Thai’s distorted, confident vocals in the first verse on "KILL 4 MY SPOT". Between this track and the opener, Thai Thai demonstrates a real penchant for crafting simple yet effective and catchy flows that provide a solid base on which he builds slick wordplay and compelling storytelling. His voice bears a real similarity to Kendrick Lamar on this track, and the meditative atmosphere feels very much like something that might have stepped off of Mr. Morale. We get an R&B-style sung hook based in an austere earworm of a melody; the lyrics cut deep here ("Prayed to the Lord for forgiveness/Promised shit would be different/He looked real deep in my eyes and said 'You lying, admit it'") and the introspective message of this track is a solidly memorable one. The mixing sounds very professional here; every element occupies its own space and nothing feels like it’s clashing with anything else. The extended harp breakdown at the end of the track is also very nice. I really love this track and I think it makes for an excellent cross-section of what makes this EP so great: economical, moody production anchored by raw lyrics and a vocal performance that visibly aches like an open wound.
On the following "PERC 30", we get an instrumental that is significantly more trap-flavored. The huge, distorted, sliding bass patterns and massive, clanging snare point to trap metal influences. Thai Thai also showcases his technical prowess on this track, as his flows are realized with laser-like precision. He seamlessly transitions from steady triplets to rapid eighth and sixteenth-note subdivided rhythms with ease. He also employs some off-kilter vocal inflections here, dipping and soaring in a pseudo-melodic way that reminds me of Baby Keem. On the second verse, he breaks into a screaming headbanger of a verse that features his raw delivery and creative bars ("Death what I insist, if y'all persist let's make it simplistic/My opps cease to exist, check off that list, now you a statistic") front and center. My only real complaint with this track is that I wish it was longer. Its time in the spotlight is short, coming in at just under two minutes, and I feel like it really could have used another verse. Either way, though, this is still a real banger of a track that communicates an impressive amount of energy in a tight package.
Sampled vocal harmonies and retro R&B guitar form the instrumental to "WHAT DO I KNOW?". The resultant chill, introspective vibe reminds me of something Lauryn Hill might have done. Thai Thai finds himself in his bag on this track, as he spits spiteful bars addressed to an unfaithful former lover. The two features, lez and Xavier Top Floor, are both utilized really nicely and add a lot to this track. lez’s vocals in particular are really nice; she brings a smoky timbre that reminds me a bit of R&B singers like Janine and Victoria Monét, and her insane harmony layers on the song’s bridge really elevate the track. Xavier's second verse is dripping in effortless swagger, and he floats over the beat with ease. This is another track that I feel could have used another verse from Thai Thai to really bring it home, but nonetheless, there's a lot to love here.
The final track, "TELEVISED SUICIDE", opens with a sampled children’s choir and a reverb-heavy Japanese-language narration. Soon, those elements drop out in favor of a menacing low horn line and subtle, soulful bass guitar as Thai Thai spits haunting verses dealing with the effects of drug abuse. Thai Thai's abilities as a storyteller really shine here, as he articulates the deep regret and screaming sadness of loss with a painful degree of detail. His flows here are economical and simple, but on a track this emotionally heavy, it's clear that he feels no need to show off his technical ability when this track is really about his lyrics and storytelling first and foremost. A beautiful saxophone solo closes out the track alongside a narration from Thai Thai, in which he bids farewell, to life and to the listener both. I can't imagine myself putting on this track for casual listening very often, but only because it's so heavy and heartwrenching that I can't handle too many listens, which I take to mean that this track utterly and totally succeeded in what it set out to do. Thai Thai fires on all cylinders as he weaves a gripping, desolate tale of a story that features all of his strengths as a lyricist at their fullest.
The end result of TELEVISED SUICIDE is a body of work that feels thoroughly professional-grade. You could have told me this was a major label release and I wouldn't have batted an eye; it's truly that good. The mixing and mastering work is excellent here, and the technical prowess that went into this project is clearly evident considering the level of polish on the final product—which I feel speaks to the strength of Thai Thai's creative vision and his own view of the sonic territory he sees himself exploring. On the creative side of things, Thai Thai proves to be a capable producer and a remarkably talented lyricist. I don't know how much remains to be said that I haven't said already; his lyrics consistently cut right through the context of each song and lay bare the very real and human emotional aftereffects of trauma and loss. As a rapper, every performance he turns in suits the song, and he always sounds completely at home over each and every beat. I guess my only real complaint is that I wish that there were more verses and more tracks, but that really just translates to an admission that the record did its job so well that I can't help but want more. In short, this EP was absolutely gripping and I only hope that Thai Thai continues to capture and expand upon the magic he achieved here on his future projects.
Personal enjoyment score: 9.5 out of 10
Standout tracks: All five tracks are excellent and deserve a listen.
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