The rise of New York City’s sexy drill movement couldn’t have come at a better time for Staten Island native wolfacejoeyy. While he was already defining his sound when Cash Cobain and Chow Lee dropped their groundbreaking *2 Slizzy 2 Sexy* mixtape in 2022, joeyy was experiencing artistic growing pains. For the past few years, he had been collaborating in group chats with underground stars like SoFaygo, Slump6s, and Yung Fazo, exploring the pastel-streaked, melodic trap sound of the moment. Though he had a talent for writing catchy, falsetto-laden choruses favored by his peers, joeyy’s more ambitious output indicated a desire to break free from SoundCloud rap’s superficial conventions. The best of his early tracks were refreshingly organic, featuring baroque string arrangements and subtle vocal processing that showcased his impressive singing chops while highlighting the youthful idiosyncrasies in his voice. After achieving a minor TikTok hit with the Jersey club-inspired “buku,” he joined Cash and Chow in the studio to record “weekend,” a gritty R&B track that foreshadowed the rawer sound of his recent work. Trading provocative bars over disintegrated sub-bass and keyboard arpeggios reminiscent of a platformer video game’s aquatic level, joeyy was finally in his element: his starry-eyed idealism perfectly contrasted his collaborators’ endearing sleaze.
“Weekend” appeared on last summer’s *22Joeyy* EP, but it seems to have shaped the aesthetic of *Valentino*, his first full-length album. The beats center on quasi-acoustic timbres that suggest a “live” feel, rather than the synth-driven wizardry that has defined the recent wave of DIY pop rap. Jazzy piano chords creak and echo, backing vocalists weave rich harmonies on “don’t be dishonest,” and fingerpicked guitars underscore interludes. This pursuit of intimacy also extends to joeyy’s lyrics. Wistfully recalling hookups in triplet flows and vivid detail, he crafts songs that are more story-driven and cohesive than the punchlines that have defined the subgenre so far Opener “stop trippin bout girls u don’t know” traces the trajectory of a short-lived situationship—from initial flirtation to the inevitable fallout when joeyy can’t commit. The track almost entirely omits kicks and 808 pulses, focusing instead on chirping hats, droning bass, and elegant synth brass layers. The roominess allows joeyy to experiment more easily, making short leaps into higher octaves and infusing the exchange with voice-cracking intensity. The music may be dreamy ear candy, but the depth and structure of joeyy’s craft elevate him above his peers. On “solar,” he takes *Valentino*’s strangest beat—springy, bitcrushed bass drums and wacky samples that conjure images of a Looney Tunes footrace—and flips the screwball vibe, inviting listeners to follow him as he tries to numb fresh heartbreak in the middle of a rowdy party. As he contemplates the dissociative effects of his weed, joeyy disappears from the track entirely, letting the instrumental ride out for a full minute. It’s an unconventional decision, but it works within *Valentino*’s loose narrative, transitioning from an initial stretch of gloomy songs to an ecstatic middle portion. A lesser artist might falter here, but joeyy’s charisma and attention to detail make the stunt land.
Halfway through *Valentino*, joeyy plays to his greatest strengths, ping-ponging between blown-out Jersey club stomps and impressionist keys. On “cake,” he’s head over heels as he exchanges pickup lines with his crush, practically panting between bars like a tennis pro. Lines like, “I told her she sexy, she said ‘period purr,’” and “My pockets blue like Sonic and her pussy pink like Amy” might seem like a tough sell, but they’re delivered with such sincerity that you’ll want them custom-printed on candy hearts. “don’t be dishonest” features gorgeous multi-part backing harmonies performed by London R&B songwriter Moses Ideka, lending joeyy’s delivery a religious fervor as he offers healing to a potential partner. Only “double tap,” a quirky club tune that resembles the synth-funk inspired bounce of Ice Spice’s “Think U the Shit (Fart)” or Lunchbox’s *New Jazz* mixtape, slows the momentum, its busy topline forcing joeyy to rein in his melodic impulses. Now that he’s finally old enough to frequent the clubs he makes music for, wolfacejoeyy has transitioned from the realm of bedroom producers and Discord servers into the real world. He’s benefiting from more developed song structures and writing his most mature, evocative songs yet. His hooks are still unshakeable, but the tiny details and ingenious melodic flourishes that surround them make each listen feel like a small adventure. *Valentino* hits like downing a flat white when you really should be sleeping: it’s a jolt of restless euphoria that’ll have you ready to leave the house at all costs, wandering in search of anyone’s company—or anything to do.
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