Recommended by Mischa, Give Or Take is Giveon’s 3rd studio album.
With its cozy and calm atmosphere, this album instantly had strong impressions and an album I definitely recommend to other people. Although not hitting the same spots as other vibey artists like Frank Ocean, Giveon is still able to provide a riveting experience.
Let Me Go
The vocal performance already by itself is heavenly, backed by smooth instrumentals and a banger opening, Let Me go makes me want to let everything go. Its outro sets a sombre heartfelt tone that I hope gets carried on through the rest of the album. Its piano is beautiful, its chipmunk soul ad-libs packs punches, Let Me Go is an excellent album opener. A strong 8.
Scarred
The transition was honestly flawless, I didn’t even realise the tracks switched until the new instrumentals really kicked into full force. His vocal performance allows himself to be put in a place where he's both scared and scarred and the lyrics really help flesh this idea out.
“Dry your eyes. This is hard, but it's okay. I just don't want you same way you want me"
Fuck me. Its honestly beautiful. The composition is an honest vibe, relying on building atmosphere through the track rather than volume and its great. A very strong 8.
dec 11th
Short. Sweet. Sharp. A 9.
This Will Do
Although slightly repetitive, This Will do still continues to drive home its crucial themes of love and rejection. Lyrics similar to dec 11th, it kind of mashes into every single other song ive listened to. Its good but theres nothing that makes it pop and that’s ok. Its all about the vibes yknow. The lyrics as usual are a blast, it looks like something out of a heartbreak novel and it honestly speaks volumes. This Will Do is a 7.
Get To You
Goddamn is that piano majestic. I don’t know how they’ve mixed his voice on this album but it works really good. Its slightly electronic in a crusty sort of way and it kind of clashes against the instrumentals in a really weird way. But it works. The piano outro was extremely nice and its “concert-like” adlibs really helped me bask in the pain of the song. I do wish the ad-libs were more creative and there would be more vocal runs but its not too big of an issue.
“Sorry I’ve been indecisive”
Same dude. Same. Get To You is a strong 7.
WAIT I JUST LISTENED TO THE OUTRO
THAT SHIT IS MAJESTIC. An 8.
Tryna Be
The lyric structure is slightly out of whack. The segment where he ends each line with “ahh” is a tad bit goofy especially with the autotune. Tryna Be feels like it tries to maintain the same energy as its previous tracks but at this point I kind of want something new. Its still obviously better than Toliver’s new album. I just need something new very soon because this is getting way too predictable. Tryna Be is becoming a 7.
For Tonight
RAHHH WHAT THE FUCK IS A BAD SONG RAHHHH. Holy fuck. I get it now. I never want this song to end. A 10.
This album kinda reminds me of Sam Smith. Not the new Sam Smith but the old one. The more gentle one. The one where he expressed emotion and beauty through lyrics and his vocal performance. I think the new Sam Smith is a fucking joke, not because hes chubby but because the music he makes now is just not good. Giveon’s vocal performance is stellar, producing so much emotion in every single track, hes becoming my new Sam Smith. Its so raw. I love it.
Lost Me
Ok this track kinda lost me, maybe its because I just listened to For Tonight but like ehh this track doesn’t hold up to its predecessor, I can admire what it does with the girl on the phone and her recurring presence on the track. Lost Me is like a strong 6 at most.
Lie Again
I love the beats, its punchy yet diluted. A perfect 8.
Another Heartbreak
What seems to be my favourite album on the track, Another Heartbreak is fucking beautiful. Its piano is heavenly, the vocal layers are soul lifting and the choirs that come in during the chorus ticks all the boxes for a song that I love. Another heartbreak is so fucking emotional and each creep it does through the piano and vocals is just peak. The climax feels like a climax, the hits of each verse, chorus is there. Theres a tug of war inside of me listening to this song. A 10.
Unholy Matrimony
The last 2 minutes of this song is peak. The last two lines of the track GOD FUCKING DAMMIT EAHHH)(HAASDJDDDDJSSQHHHAHHHHHH.
Closing Thoughts:
Give Or Take doesn’t really give much it just fucking takes. This album gets me in my feely feels. The vocal performance is raw and despite the music being a little repetitive, it keeps everything at a consistent standard and quality. I give this album a 9.
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