EP REVIEW: Mi Amigo Slow Joy – Slow Joy
Judging the credibility of an artist on an algorithmic decision alone is difficult; there are so many things that make a song “TikTok-able”, more than the song itself, does it fit within a trend, does the visual content tint the lens of the song? SLOW JOY (Esteban Flores) is one of those artists whose popularity began to soar on TikTok, seemingly not because of manipulation of the platform, but because there’s an audience out there that relishes in slightly brooding, at times romantic, alt-rock with emo leanings — so something that sounds like DEFTONES meets CITIZEN. If that’s what the masses want then that’s what SLOW JOY will give them; Mi Amigo Slow Joy, his second EP, is packed full of the stuff.
Its predecessor, Wildflower, saw Flores grapple with grief over the death of his mother and external effects on his life, but now introspection steers the new EP, which is four songs of internal monologue, evenly coating everything in self-improvement and growth attitudes like a lawn sprinkler. Pulling Teeth is an apologetic ode to his wife, forming lyrical knots, the sort that make you fold over and feel how tight they really are, but remain gloriously singable. He challenges what’s expected of masculinity, the steely exterior, with the lustre of his vulnerability.
That’s one of the most appealing things about Flores and his work: he’s just a guy that didn’t specifically go looking for a career in music, he just wanted to share what he had. It changes the expectations of the hidden gems you’ll find on a platform like TikTok, from sometimes ego-driven and engagement bait at the pace of 1000 Gen Z’ers on their 7th stanley cupped ice coffee of the day, to something organic and relaxed that you can take at your own pace and properly appreciate. King Cowboy sees him embrace himself, open armed and full of love, in anthemic fashion, and Lay Me Out, I’m Out Of My Mind finds time to have tenderly soft spoken moments in the verses. In either atmosphere, he takes them to a place that works for him, and uses them to display his real range.
So where does sincerity fit into the puzzle of marketing yourself on the most engrossing social media platform to ever exist? Truthfully, there’s little room for sincerity in that equation. It’s a selfish game, a veneer that hides the KPI motivators behind content you just can’t take your eyes off. However, SLOW JOY finds the well-hidden nooks and crannies that allow sincerity to bloom within his music and on the platform, proving that the real thing will always trump a half effort cash grab. Esteban Flores stands atop a hill, alone, screaming his favourite songs and unapologetically embracing his chicano identity. You can’t take your eyes off him.
Rating: 8/10
Mi Amigo Slow Joy is set for release on June 7th via Mick Music.
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