Atlanta rapper
MadeinTYO built up momentum from two multi-platinum singles and rode the wave with a series of solid mixtapes.
Sincerely, Tokyo marks his first studio album, arriving almost three years after he first broke into view internationally with the playfully melodic banger "Uber Everywhere."
Sincerely, Tokyo retains both the playful lyrical approach and ear for catchy production that
MadeinTYO built his earlier work on, but sounds more developed and nuanced. Tracks like "Chucky Cheese" and "Outstanding" both showcase
TYO's inventive approach to production, with interesting samples and nonchalant flows filling hard-hitting beats. A featured verse from
A$AP Ferg on "Ned Flanders" complements the overall atmosphere of the album, picking up on some of
MadeinTYO's fluid energy and bouncing along with the song's sticky sitar loop. Elsewhere on the album, more melodic songs offer a wider spectrum of emotional diversity not previously explored by the rapper, as with the melancholic undertones of "Margiela Problems," which features moments of careful vocal harmonies from
Blood Orange. While still in the earlier phases of a promising career,
Sincerely, Tokyo shows significant musical growth from earlier mixtape material, with reaches for greater expression coming through in production, arrangement, and lyrics alike. ~ Fred Thomas