Layto shares the Deluxe Version of debut LP alternative psycho: Look Inside the dark, sinister rawness of the Alt/Hip-hop star’s acclaimed debut album

Boston artist Layto has built a considerable fanbase since first bursting on the scene in 2018. With his debut LP, alternative psycho, he takes us on a tour into the dark recesses of his mind.

Alt-rock/hip-hop artist Layto has shared the Deluxe Version of his debut LP, alternative psycho, offering listeners three new blistering tracks and the seven songs his fans have already poured over for weeks.

The singer/songwriter, who grew up in Boston, is driven by a strong passion to create music that speaks to the experiences of millions dealing with anxiety and depression, reminding them that they are not alone. Having personally dealt with these challenges from a young age, the artist draws inspiration from mental health issues. The goal is for listeners to feel connected when they hear the music and provide a community for their fans to express those feelings.

On alternative psycho, Layto gave his listeners a compelling insight into his mindset, complete with eye-opening lyricism, throttling vocals, and pristine production by the project's executive producer Inverness (Rob Nelson), who boasts recent alt-pop prod. Credits with Royal & The Serpent, Pierce The Veil, K.Flay & Ashley Sienna. ‘alternative psycho’ is the sonic catalog we came up with together through hours of ironing out existing demos and creating new ones. We trust each other a lot and let the ego die, leaving us with the best version of every song.

With his raw, sometimes nihilistic, lyrics about drugs, depression, and the stresses of life “Fuck it, I'm sick of going through the motions/Tough shit, I'm over upping the doses/When I'm gone, don't bury me in roses/Let me sink to the bottom of the ocean”, he became a lightning rod for millions of disaffected people.

The artist admits he taps into alter egos when writing music to reach his darker side. “I try to draw on what I’m going through or what I have been through in the past, an ingrained memory or something that stuck with me,” he admits. “I draw from whatever I’m feeling in the moment and push myself to be as honest as possible.”

That honesty is apparent on the new tracks in the Deluxe version of alternative psycho. On lead track ‘better off,’ Layto embodies the jealous, destructive, jilted partner prepared to go scorched earth on a relationship gone wrong: “I’ll make a promise with you/Hope you understand/If I can’t have you baby? Fuck it - no one else can.” Against a backdrop of grungy guitars and filthy basslines, which owe a lot to both heavy metal and nu-metal, Layto lets his angry lyrics fuel his biting vocals.

In the music video for ‘better off’, Layto shows what his incarceration might look like - straightjackets, padded cells, bed bondage, and electroshock therapy are all shown here. The video is particularly dark when paired with the song’s lyrics, where Layto suggests that he’d prefer his partner to be “better off dead” rather than not with him. Is there a suggestion that he might’ve ended up behind locked doors because of a rage-filled murder?

Layto's TikTok, @singsonglayto, launched earlier this year, has already gained 125k followers. Meanwhile, his Facebook page has experienced significant growth, skyrocketing from 4k to an impressive 170k followers after dropping his album. Additionally, Layto boasts an impressive 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Layto keeps things deliberately ambiguous - and deliciously sinister.

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New Music, Rival OnlineGuest UserOctober 17, 2023