Reuben Aziz - how did we end up here (EP)
Picture Credit: Joe Magowan
London’s rising singer-songwriter and producer, Reuben Aziz releases his debut project ‘how did we end up here’. Creating mainly from his bedroom, the 20-year-old has established a signature method for DIY music-making to help expand his capacity to sing, rap, and produce. His appreciation for full-length albums and mixtape culture initiated a decision to deliver ten tracks offering feelings towards relationships with friends, family, God, romance, and his current position in life. The interplay between his introspectiveness and compelling vocals is embraced with a fusion of Rap, Hip-Hop, and R&B across the production. The project’s atmosphere and attention to detail is reminiscent of Frank Ocean’s debut mixtape ‘Nostalgia, Ultra’ - a resemblance driven by Reuben’s willingness to create timeless art.
“The mixtape captures the past six or seven years of my life, presenting some old and more recent songs. It combines my musical efforts in one body of work, and I’ve poured my heart and soul into it, making it incredibly personal. The title is relevant wherever you are in life, and I hope people can reflect on that through the music. I’m excited for people to take in my truest form.”
Having earned an initial fanbase from his Rap freestyles on TikTok, Reuben has continued to sharpen his skills - recently going viral on Balamii Radio - and delivers a potent verse on ‘Elevate’ to open the project. The only feature comes from Sexy Drill pioneer Wolfacejoeyy on the recent single ‘day + night’, which was accompanied by Sci-Fi and VFX-heavy video. Showcasing his melodies throughout, ‘IDOLS’ and ‘before’ highlight Reuben’s R&B impulses and his ability to find pockets to explore his vocal range. We hear a glimpses of his The Neptunes and Timbaland-inspired production on ‘Only One’ for a track driven by his serenading falsetto. In songs such as ‘MAGIC’ and ‘tomorrow’,Reuben is reassuring his love interest of his intentions to commit to their future despite the obstacles. He closes the project with ‘i’ll be there’ a sensual interlude signed off with a personal anecdote from Reuben’s Grandfather. Since releasing his viral single ‘find u’ in April 2023, Reuben has cultivated fans in Stormzy, Clint419, SuperDuperKyle. More recently, Jim Legxacy and Songer have co-signed the upcoming project to give an accurate insight into his musical peers as he enters the next phase of his journey.