The years 2020 and 2021 marked a huge turning point for Gregory "Aldae" Hein. His career as a producer and songwriter took off in a huge way. Under his belt hangs a staggering list of successful singles written for some of the biggest and most influential names in the industry. Everyone from Justin Bieber to Justin to Shawn Mendes and Machine Gun Kelly haved recruited his penmanship to their side. And now, the GRAMMY-nominated Texan child is working for number one: He's releasing his own music under his own terms, a debut EP entitled "Vol. 1" is hitting streaming services right now, and his work is nothing if not staggeringly unique.

My Expectations for "Vol. 1" were certainly those of strong songwriting and a flexible and varied genre approach, however, I did not know exactly what to expect, so diving in blindly to what would be an either-or musical experience I opened up my mind and ears to whatever this talented man had in store for me...

...And oh boy.

01. Poltergeist

I'm not entirely sure that I understand what "Jesus Christ is a Poltergeist" is supposed to mean, but the overarching sound is so incredibly out there, so wildly creative and confident in its own creative vision that it is impossible not to fall victim to its entrancing aura. If I had to put it in the simplest of terms: Imagine if you put the strangest sounds of Mogwai or Boards of Canada together with the most introspective of Frank Ocean, or if you slow-cooked alternative hip-hop in the fires of Ethio-rock.

"Poltergeist" is a stupefying track that disarmed me completely, because even though I did not know what to expect going into this EP, I still found myself subverted by this deeply intense and ponderous track. I still find it difficult to get across just how impressed I am by just this first song, It's like Jodorowsky's "Holy Mountain" only in the form of a song that is still sufficiently catchy that I can still see it working for a plethora of people with more mainstream tastes, not just weirdo music lovers like yours truly.

02. Too far.

The transition between "Too Far" and poltergeist was a bit rough, there's a bit of a skip but it's clear that this song was supposed to be like a smooth continuation of the previous. Regardless of that little hiccup (which might have been intentional for all I know) I think "Too Far" serves to reassure and set a clearer mood for the record, allowing us to get settled into the sound that will characterize "Vol. 1", a more recognizable but still unpredictable alternative-R&B sound that's very vanguardist and dream-like.

In this Track, Aldae leans a bit more on subtle harmony that seems to spring forth mainly from his highly modulated and shimmering vocals that seem to sort of dilute and scatter in a static noise as the short track transforms into a brief downtempo instrumental segway for the next.

03. Safe Word

By this track, I feel like I can comfortably say that we're looking at some very unorthodox and ethereal R&B/hip-hop album, but this perhaps is just a lazy way to label it for the sake of ease and comfort, but at the same time, I feel like it diminishes the complex subtleties and subtle complexities that Aldae offers us. There's a lot going on, to the point where I'd think it'd be a disservice not to mention how progressive and psychedelic it all feels so far. it's almost as if he's arriving to a post-R&B world through this EP.

Safe Word is a much more conventional track than the previous two in that it's easier to identify the elements in it. It's more "comfortable" because it's slightly more familiar and less challenging, but that doesn't diminish its quality or its belonging to what's already been a superbly fascinating listening experience full of hypnotic musical textures.

04. Long Way from Texas

Just the name alone already invokes the idea that this track has some heavily personal meaning for the artist, and it has perhaps the most haunting introduction of any song in an already-haunting EP. The song is of course, about being far from home, about being in so many places and having caused "so many messes" and running away from them.

The lone piano that punctuates Aldae's vocals seems almost like a manifestation of guilt and regret. It pokes at his lyrics in the back, like a ticking clock or a reminder of the past and the approaching future.

This song is certainly vulnerable and highly emotional for him, and one extra little thing that made me like this one, even more, was the cover art chosen for it.

05. Heart is so sick.

After the sour note that "Long Way From Texas" ended with, I expected something a little bit more upbeat to clear the air from song number five, and while I didn't exactly get that, I did get my absolute favorite track in this EP.

Song opens up on a very delicate and romantic guitar lick, and it lingers on that instrument for the entire duration of its sadly brief playtime. Clocking at just 2 minutes and 26 seconds I was playing it over and over again until I felt like I had my fill of that glorious guitar.

"Heart So Sick" is much more of a neo-noir reimagining of Rhythm & Blues than it is modern "R&B" in any recognizable form, and I absolutely love it.

06. God Complex

"God Complex" Starts off with its disenchanted love narrative in the same ethereal electronic soundscape that most of the album occupies, however it isn't long before it turns that on its head with a fast-paced and aggressive beat that sounds like nothing else in the EP. it's almost a complete 180 in terms of mood, only the eerie electronic aura that Aldae seems so fond of rears its head time and time again at key moments, realigning the track mood-wise with the other songs in a very harmonious and elegant way.

07. Honeymoon

Is another haunting ballad that's very similar to "Long Way From Texas", only a bit more optimistic and less heavy in self-reproach. The song is a great sendoff for this exceptional EP, as it seems to meditate on the common phrase/truism of "what happens when the Honeymoon phase is over?". I suppose the inner personal meaning that drove this song is something between Aldae and his songbook for the time being, but you imprint your own romantic experience on it as your ears relish and linger on the sweet piano and emotive hook.

When someone drops a Debut EP, It's always understandable if it feels like they're standing on shaky legs, still figuring their sound and getting comfortable as a recording musician exposing their work to the world for the very first time, this is something I always take into account and have pointed out in the past. Not so for Aldae, in my opinion. Guy's as solid as it gets, and this EP is only really a few songs short of being an actual album worthy of Billboard charting. This is just as polished and well-crafed as any sophomore release.

I suppose the above is due in no small part to Aldae's trajectory and experience writing for such huge names. There's nothing crude, amateurish, unpolished, or shaky about "Vol. 1". It's an EP with a perfectly matured sound that feels dialed-in in every regard, and more importantly: It is fresh, original, and pulls no punches or cheap tricks on the listener, relying on excellently creative musicianship and songwriting above all else.

Expect to be challenged. I think Aldae demands the same maturity from us as he shows in his work, not being afraid to present his vision "as-is" or make it any more palatable or catchy than it needs to be. That said, the beauty alone of most of these tracks is enough to keep them appealing to just about any ears out there.

Aldae debuts his "Vol. 1" EP

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