Straight from the suburbs of Brampton Ontario, “MARVIN”is a continuation of the story from Mr.A the Martian’s last project. With this LP, Mr. A the Martian speaks out about his ongoing struggle to balance his music career alongside his personal life. Altogether, this full length release is solely his creation, as all tracks were written, produced, and mastered by Mr.A the Martian himself.
The first track, entitled MARVIN, begins with aggressive vocal line around an eclectic synth-based beat. The second track “Pressure (Victory)”, follows suit with a synth heavy hype track that'll have you vibing.
However, it’s when the LP gets to “D.O.M.L” that the LP takes a significant turn. The tone shifts towards a place of vulnerability and loss, while incorporating religious symbolism. I loved the instrumentals for this song, along with Mr.A the Martian’s raw lyricism. In “Therapy”, Mr. A the Martian muses on his struggle as a musician, complemented by wavy arpeggiation and soft 808s.
The shining star of this section is “Letter To My…”, where he laments the loss of his stillborn child and speaks about his father. Underneath it all, a resonant piano instrumental guides his vocals through his emotions. It’s a song that comes from a place of heartfelt vulnerability and I can really feel his passion throughout the song. Similarly, “Need You” follows a similar style but doesn’t have the same feeling as the previous song.
Stepping away from the emotional concept from the previous few tracks, On You hits heavy the certified dance song of this LP. With an infectious xylophone sound and syncopated rhythms, this track has a catchy hook that'll have you grooving.
Overall, I see significant potential with Mr. A the Martian. This was an ambitious LP that covers significant ground. From hype tracks to emotional ballads, Mr. A demonstrates great versatility. Mr. A the Martian's production quality truly shines in songs like“On You”and “Letter to my…”.
Throughout the whole LP, Mr A. the Martian shows his strength in the lo-fi realm. In a future release, it would beneficial to see some higher production to show his true demonstrate his true capacity as an artist with no holds barred.