EP Review: Reflections

The new EP release Reflections from Yung Ludd, otherwise known as Connor Strati is an absolute personal experience best experienced either with headphones or with a true desire to sit down and listen.

I was lucky enough to review his EP Two Tone a while back, and I have to say that this album had me listening intently again as Connor really and truly spills his heart out. After losing his mother to cancer in 2022, all the music and lyrics are based around what grief does to someone. As someone who lost their father in 2023 to cancer, I totally get it. The opening track Falling (Intro) sets the scene with the chill beat vibes that set up all the songs. Connor’s cadence and understanding of how to be a rhythmic instrument with his voice is clearly evident. Hints of old school East and West Coast hip-hop is all over this, yet with a NZ sound to it through his low key but excellent delivery.

Where I’m At is like a journal entry about where Connor is at after his loss. The chorus is there, catchy and singable, and still the message and power of how the grief affects his day to day life is subtle and effective. This isn’t some super hyped trap or rap album…this is a record of what’s happening in his head. “And when it’s all over, will I get to see Mum again?”

Paranoid Poem uses a voider effect to express the emotions that connect up with the lyrics. Even though it’s short, the poem and rhyme is powerful and haunting. With no beat and just simply some words spoken about, it is the perfect connection between the opening set of tracks into the next one, Vibe Switch. With a great set of chords underpinned by the power of the da-da-da kick pattern, some cool little scratches and a couple of new effects to his voice, the story continues and Connor changes up his choruses and feel of the beat. Vibe Switch is the perfect name because when it shifts, you will know.

Tryna has a fantastic groovy 6/8 shuffle feel, both in the beat and the vocal delivery. It had my head-bobbing and listening intently to his story. With a more melodic chorus in this track, I can see this being something that you will hear and remember for some time. These Tears is the final song before the outro. Throughout the EP Connor has maintained a certain consistency with his delivery but tries new ideas to change it up and keep it fresh. “I’ve been living in my head” sums up exactly what the whole EP is focused on. What happens when some traumatic experience hits us? Where do we go? How do each of us cope? I think the intention set on the concept and what Yung Ludd wants his audience to take away from it is hit. This EP sounds exactly like one man sitting there and processing his thoughts through music and lyrics. He is soul searching and I respect that and thank him for sharing it with us.

Reflections (Outro) is the perfect track to finish out the EP. “This my thoughts, reflections, musical expressions of human imperfection”. This mantra is repeated to a gentle beat to let us softly land again after walking with Connor as he processes his loss.

I highly recommend you check this out.