Through DAMN GENESIS, BRIEL reclaims himself from the world he is being introduced to. Across ten genre-blending tracks, the Bronx-born singer-songwriter delivers a confessional and emotionally raw body of work that walks the line between destruction and rebirth, interweaving Alternative R&B, hip-hop, and indie textures with a rare vision.
Opening with “THE BLINDS,” BRIEL brings an ambient wash of piano and cymbal rustle, as his detached, half-lucid voice runs through as though he’s sleepwalking through heartbreak. The lyrics move like a looped thought spiral, haunting in their repetition: “Moving through life like the blinds / I’m blind.” It’s disoriented but intentional, like a fog lifting just enough for pain to make itself known. Midway through the tape, SITUATIONSHIP sharpens that clarity, here BRIEL’s signature breathy cadence becomes more assertive, more cutting. The beats are stripped back and moody, leaving space for resentment and longing to duel in every line.
Next up, The “breakout” single, “LADIES SONG” brings a shimmering, slow-burning anthem for the lovers working hard and still keeping it up. He sings romantically and appreciatively about his partner, encouraging them to keep going. It’s a love letter and a pep talk, delivered with TLC. He sings, “Don’t let these ni**as get on your time / Leave the baggage at home.”
“PRETTY,” closes DAMN GENESIS on a vulnerable note. Dreamy, echoing production forms a backdrop for BRIEL’s inner monologue: a plea to be seen, felt, held. “I really just wanna be pretty” is less about vanity and more about visibility, about wanting to be understood, embraced in one’s whole self.
In DAMN GENESIS, BRIEL the Artist has birthed an intimate and refreshingly self-assured piece—a beautiful collapse turned into music. Listen to it on Spotify.
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Review by: Naomi Joan