Karri: SLIDER II

"Few artists appreciate the joy of a late-night drive like Karri. With last year's Late Night Slider Music and its newly released sequel, SLIDER II, the San Francisco native has recreated the atmosphere of a midnight cruise while cautiously emerging from the world of underground R&B. He's been backed by Drake and longtime friend Chubbs, who signed Karri to his PFL Records imprint. At first, Karri mostly stuck to his "Lo' N Slo'" sound, which pairs lo-fi production with slurred, woozy vocals. Now he's sharpened his approach by pairing those vocals with brighter production that gives room for more emotion and color: It's like he realized the destination is just as important as the drive."

"SLIDER II begins with "Crashout," a minute-long vent session that cuts deep over the somber strums of a guitar. "That nine-to-five ain't got you working/Just clock out cause you worked my last nerve," he sings. His vocals are bare, as if they were sung into a voice memo for future use, lending a new sense of vulnerability for his music. "Unconditional Interlude" pairs Karri and Pimmie, a growing interlude specialist and $ome $exy $ongs 4 U feature standout, as a swooning couple. Their voices are stern and gentle until a climatic repeat of the chorus breaks the tension. With Karri's echoing affirmation of unconditional love, it's the only moment on the record when things feel certain."

"SLIDER II also marks a development for Karri's production, offering more vibrancy without completely steering away from his comfort zone. Produced by Noel Cadastre, "Not a Romantic" cruises as Karri's Auto-Tuned vocals pierce through an echoing bass with the chill of an ice pack to the neck. Echoing organ-like synths swing in like a gust of wind behind, adding a jolt of life into what would've otherwise been another dose of dark sky soliloquies."

Karri crafts a late-night cruise atmosphere across SLIDER II while stepping further from underground R&B. Backed by Drake and Chubbs, he moves beyond purely lo-fi, woozy textures toward brighter production that allows more emotional range. "Crashout" opens as a raw, minute-long vent with exposed vocals that suggest vulnerability, and "Unconditional Interlude" pairs Karri with Pimmie for a rare moment of certainty and affirmed love. Production work by Noel Cadastre on tracks like "Not a Romantic" introduces echoing organ-like synths and penetrating Auto-Tuned vocals, adding vibrancy without abandoning the project's nocturnal mood.

Read at Pitchfork