Time and again, the 24-year-old prodigal son from Charlotte, MAVI, returns to craft projects that transcend expectations yet remain firmly rooted in the ground. Both deeply personal and universally resonant, shadowbox navigates the complexities of self-reflection, identity, and the turbulent world around him with an artistry that is both mature and compelling. Each MAVI release feels like it cautiously inches towards the light, gradually shedding its narrator’s heady introspection to open up with time. His breakout album was titled Let the Sun Talk, and he’s getting closer to delivering on that request.

That’s not to say we’re in carefree territory quite yet – from shadowbox track one, MAVI establishes a palate that is both haunting and hopeful. His beats delicately balance airy synths and grounded percussion, building out atmospheres that evoke in parallel the album’s abiding themes of introspection and resilience. ‘the sky is quiet’ finds MAVI’s tracing his own personal journey and how he fits into the world around him. The track’s production sounds stuck in a time loop, its gleaming sample and subtle bass lines ebbing and flowing in cyclical motion as a sense of claustrophobia slowly closes in.

Despite moving through familiar themes, MAVI’s undeniable lyrical prowess is on full display throughout shadowbox. The album’s centerpiece, ‘drunk prayer’, is an effortless display in rap storytelling, within which MAVI delves headlong into the darkness of his past while letting his aspirations poke holes of light through the shadows. His tone is matched by the sound of the song itself – intertwining vocal melodies fill up the space in the mix, while tinny plucks of string pierce through the noise.

‘too much to zelle’ is a standout, where MAVI addresses the gnawing pressures of insularity and jealousy in the digital age over a bouncy, melodious beat that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Veeze project. His cadence is hypnotic but dynamic, subtly cycling through new flows without fuss. It’s kind of stark how fun it is, but it’s needed – a little second wind to kick off the album’s hopeful final suite. And just a couple minutes later comes ‘my own way’, a warm conclusion to an at-times solemn release, one which hopefully charts a course for what’s to come, for MAVI’s sake. Here, he is accompanied by gentle piano chords and glowing ambience as delivery approximates a wistful sigh. His words tumble out like true subconscious expression, and the honesty sounds liberating.

shadowbox is a testament to MAVI’s ability to evolve tonally while iterating upon the mastery that brought him to his current stature. His skills have improved, his breadth of writing has expanded, and his ear for production is as sharp as ever. The album is a cohesive and deeply affecting body of work that shows out for the unique corner of the scene he’s been carving out since he first emerged. It’s a blessing and a curse to be so talented at such a young age, but MAVI wears the mantle with ease.

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Michael Katsavos

8 September 2024