Sonder Son
Studio album by Brent Faiyaz
Released	October 13, 2017
Genre	R&B[1] pop[1]
Length	42:25
Label	Lost Kids Venice Stem
Producer	Atu Ben Free Brent Faiyaz D-Pat James Harte Joey Lopez Los Hendrix Nascent Pablo Dylan Paperboy Fabe Yves “Bus” Bazelais Jr.
Brent Faiyaz chronology
Into (with Sonder) (2017) Sonder Son (2017) Lost (2018)

Sonder Son is the debut studio album by American R&B singer Brent Faiyaz.^[2] It was released on October 13, 2017, by Lost Kids, Venice Music, and Stem Disintermedia.^[1] The production of the album was handled by multiple producers such as D-Pat, Joey Lopez, Los Hendrix, Paperboy Fabe, including Faiyaz himself.

Release and recording

On September 19, 2017, Faiyaz shared the official tracklist for Sonder Son.^[3] On the same day, he revealed the release date and officially announced the project.^[2]

In an interview with Clash, Faiyaz was asked about how he began the recording process of the album, and he stated, "I didn't really do it chronologically" and that he "really just wanted to make it mad personal. I wanted it to be cathartic for me more than anything." He stated that he "made some shit that I knew was good music, but for me personally it wasn’t as personal as this project." When asked about his writing process, he explained that he "write[s] a lot anyway, whether it be poems or short notes or little things throughout the week or the day or whatever." He continued, "a lot of shit based off conversation. Those can turn into songs or they can just say how they are. But I pretty much write anywhere. And then sometimes I can go into the studio and not write at all."^[4]

During the interview, Faiyaz revealed that during the recording process, he listened to Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, Aaliyah, and Lauryn Hill's critically acclaimed, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. He also stated that he'd often listen to Tupac Shakur's Me Against the World often.^[4]

Critical reception

Exclaim!'s Yasin Rahman wrote that on Sonder Son, "he slows it down and reflects on his past" and "takes listeners on a journey through his recently found fame." He stated that "simple instrumentals and a melodic voice play secondary components to the story here," and that " Faiyaz reflects on his past dealings with family, friends, and lovers." He noted that Faiyaz's "songwriting vividly depicts his life," however, there is a "lack of instrumental variety throughout the project." Concluding his review, he wrote that Faiyaz "reflects on his past as he pushes forward in his career" and that "it would be interesting to see Faiyaz sing across a broader range of sounds."^[5] Writing for Pitchfork, Claire Lobenfeld stated that Sonder Son is a "forthright about the fact that we need each other to survive." Lobenfeld compared the project to Frank Ocean's February 2011, Nostalgia, Ultra, stating that it "has the same highly intimate, nothing-to-lose quality" of the project. Continuing her review, she stated that "the album is well-studied in the tones and textures of the past" and "the songs here may not be so sticky, but the promise of his potential is undeniable."^[1]

Track listing

References