After an extended break from releasing music, Canadian musician River Tiber has returned with his new EP Hypnotized.
Raised in Toronto, Canada and educated at the Berklee School of Music, River Tiber gained recognition in the early 2010’s for his hypnotic blend of electronic, indie, hip-hop, and R&B. Eventually, his experimental genre blending caught the ears of Drake, and in 2015 he was sampled on “No Tellin’”, a song off If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. He also went on to collaborate with Kaytranada and BADBADNOTGOOD. River Tiber's most recent release was 2019’s “Nevada”, a warm, soulful R&B jam. Now he returns with a more eclectic and experimental release in Hypnotized, blending jazz, pop, R&B, and hip-hop.
Hypnotized starts off with the ethereal intro "Rainbow Road", featuring dazzling synths and chimes. The spacey song starts with dissonant chords and noisy, atmospheric synths. Chimes ring in the background, adding depth and layering to the song. During the second half, a powerful drum line comes in, creating a rugged groove that contrasts the atmospheric synths. The synths continue to build up into a noisy concoction, finishing the song off in an epic fashion. Together, the elements in "Rainbow Road" creates an engaging, dizzying, and hypnotic effect.
The EP segways into the title track "Hypnotized", which features a deep, rich bass groove and punchy drums. River Tiber’s vocals appear for the first time on the EP, and they sound spacey and textured. Wailing guitars and synths hang in the background, creating an intricate, layered effect. The instrumentation and production give the song a nocturnal feeling, making the track a great soundtrack for late nights in the city.
Overall, Hypnotized EP marks a strong return for River Tiber. The nocturnal, atmospheric EP makes for an engaging listen, as River Tiber creates his traditional blend of genres.
