One of the most important qualities to have as a current musician is versatility, and in Paul Maxwell's new EP, Youth, the Atlanta-native displays a new side of his sound with each song, alone making the project very impressive. The nineteen-year-old producer, despite his age, has already learned the importance of polishing his work down to a tee, and this fact really shows throughout his genre-bending work, as he brilliantly intermixes elements of hip-hop, disco, funk, house, and pop, all resulting in a sound that's a bit of a modern take on some older vibes. Within the first moments of "1983", you might be reminded of A$AP Rocky's "Peso", since both beats use the same sample; however, don't mistake this fact for unoriginality, because Maxwell has taken it and masterminded a track that would make even the likes of the A$AP Mob leader lick his lips. Using hard-hitting bass, echoed vocals, several electronic touches, and crisp percussion, Maxwell establishes that he can run with the best when it comes to beat-making. Next, Maxwell switches things up with "KellyKapowski", a sensual track heavy on the disco/funk vibes. Named after the sweetheart schoolgirl from "Saved by the Bell", this offering opens up with one of Kelly's intimate conversations echoed over a background beat, but the song suddenly breaks into a groovy, disco-pop jam with shining synths, a deep bassline, and upbeat percussion, all of which constitute an old-school, funk-infused, danceable track. Following next is "WeekendGirl", a smooth, bright piece that definitely possesses a throwback feel like the previous song. However, the 808 percussion adds a refreshing twist on his sound. Shimmering synths take front stage on this track, while trippy vocal samples flutter around the listening atmosphere. The final song, "Malibu", sounds a bit more modern than the previous two songs, containing layers upon layers of pulsing synthesizers and electronic material. The track also possesses house elements in spades, adding yet another side to Maxwell's sound as he proves himself capable of creating sun-soaked house jams. As a modern producer, it isn't easy to craft an entire project that's distinctly unique, but Paul Maxwell has made it clear that this is no problem for him on his Youth EP.
Paul Maxwell