LANKS’ latest EP blurs the boundaries between pop, trap, and electronica, showcasing his versatility as both a performer and producer.
His third EP in three years, Will Cuming has been a busy man indeed. Viet Rose gives a bigger platform for Cuming to show off his vocals, developing production skills, and instrumental talents more than his previous releases, and audiences appear all the more glad for it.
LANKS truly struts his creative prowess on Viet Rose, a varied and mature EP which is undoubtedly the producer’s greatest release yet.
Perhaps the most striking example of his versatility comes in the transition between the second track, Holla, and the third track, April. Holla features heavy trap elements and a thumping bass that lingers throughout the song, whereas April is a profoundly melancholy track that perfectly pairs Cuming’s falsetto with a piano and drum accompaniment. Despite their extremely different sounds, the two tracks flow together faultlessly as part of a wider set.
It’s evident from the seamless transitions between tracks, regardless of mood or genre, that Cuming is no longer a stranger to the finer aspects of composition and production. His attention to detail and ability to layer so many different instruments, sounds, and vocal components is impressive, even by more commercial standards.
Furthermore, the heavy external influences on the EP serve to give a greater sense of artistic depth to Viet Rose. With collaborations from Airling and Big Scary’s Tom Iansek, and co-production by Andrei Eremin, the multitude of creative input has allowed Cuming to expand his horizons rather than stifle them.
The balance between the typical and atypical proves to be Cuming’s biggest strength on Viet Rose. Capable of crossing genres, instruments, and creative roles with relative ease, LANKS’ bottomless versatility gives a life to Viet Rose that wasn’t present on previous releases (strong that they were).
Featuring singles such as Golden Age, which currently has over one million Spotify streams, Viet Rose is a fantastic listening experience full of aching ballads and soaring dance tracks. It is rare to hear an EP so well composed, without being boring in the slightest.
Viet Rose feels experimental, though not in a delusional fashion based in self-importance. Maintaining striking originality despite the numerous collaborative efforts on the EP, LANKS has started to mature into a powerhouse artist in his own right.
Although hesitant to give such grand praise, there is just about naught to fault in LANKS’ Viet Rose EP – it is a collection of tracks bordering on perfect.
