Dark. Haunting. Raw. Three words that describe the R&B newcomer Rob Moss’ sophomore EP entitled “Lover Loner Stoner”. This EP is something special. Something unique. Something necessary. It’s a step in the right direction for the dying genre that we call R&B. 

 

Dark. The overarching feeling of this EP is Darkness. Each song feels like the few hours between 2am and dusk where the insomniacs thrive. Where the city is obnoxiously quiet and your thoughts are disturbingly loud. Where you find yourself driving aimlessly for hours on end, accompanied by only the equally lonely full moon. When listening to this EP the listener is faced with this devastating feeling of loneliness. The far stranger notion is that somehow Moss is able to empathize with the darkness you’re feeling; almost as if he’s there with you as you listen, comforting you on your musical journey. 

 

Haunting. If the feeling of the EP is dark then the sound is eerie. While most have a negative connotation with the word eerie I find that it’s a perfect adjective to describe Moss’ current sound. It’s scary in the most exciting ways possible. Take the first track, “Hamilton” for instance. This bass empowered track is up-tempo and dare I say it “cool” but you get this remarkably oxymoronic feeling throughout the duration of the song. The hard-hitting bass and smooth tempo tells you to vibe out to the music but the haunting background vocals throughout the song and screwed voiceover on the chorus makes you feel like you’re on the cusp of disaster; an invigorating feeling that only adds to the complexity of the song itself. 

 

Raw. An essential element needed in the creation and execution of R&B music. Moss has stripped his music down from his previous EP “Easy” and has given the listener something real. While “Easy the EP” was filled with bigger pop songs and radio friendly tracks, “Lover Loner Stoner” allows the listener to really understand who Moss is as an artist and person. His stories of betrayal, ostracism, unrequited love and the everyday struggle paints the artists as just another lost soul looking for something greater, just like the rest of us. “Better For Me”, easily the most emotional song on the seven track EP is the quintessential R&B song. Filled with highs and lows coupled with amazing harmonies and powerfully belted notes. Yet beyond all the showmanship Moss offers on the ballad the thing that resonates with you is his unrelenting honestly. How you can somehow hear his pain and feel his sorrow with each passing note. A remarkable feat achieved by such a young artist.