Malik Polo’s Debut EP “Echo Chambers” is an Introspective Crucible of Alternative R&B and Chill Rap

Rising music maverick Malik Polo has made his comeback to the music scene with 5-track debut EP Echo Chambers, with production from beatmaster Ibn Itaka and features from Akin Soul and Saveyda. A rich and innovative project full of catchy melodies and introspective writing, Malik Polo has secured his place as one of London’s most compelling up-and-coming alternative artists.

The EP commences with Change, an epic experimental tune with some beautifully synced synths and meticulous instrumentation. A tour-de-force of genres ranging from neo-soul to electronic, the intro track establishes the mellow tone of the project, which was the culmination of Malik’s time navigating himself and his identity in the midst of a pandemic.

He enters his flex-zone with second track Abundance. Perfect for city nights and late drives, the song oozes with suave and unfiltered, pure ambition. However, laced within the material wishes for enjoyment and wealth, there is a humble discernment in Polo’s lyrics; to be bountiful in all aspects of his life, especially as a person.

Ibn Itaka’s beat is eclectic and clean, creating a song which sounds like it could be an OVO record, but is marinated in Malik Polo’s own signature South London sauce.

Good Hood, a modern ode to a beautiful woman, is yet another earworm of the EP. The catchy hook and memorable production make for a ditty which is just as romantic as it is casual and stylish.

New Skool is exactly that, new skool. The song, graced with the vocals of fellow South Londoner Akin Soul, puts us on a journey to adapt our minds from the outdated to the new. The optimistic production, with sparkly strings and dreamy guitar chords, still has scatters of police sirens, working in harmony with Polo’s stream of consciousness-style rapping, where he ponders on his life and struggles as a young man in South London. The EP’s lyrical standout track, New Skool showcases both Polo’s pen game and flow-switching ease in the most poetic of manners.

Saveyda’s seductive voice blesses Wonder, the final stop of the sonic trip that is Echo Chambers. Polo’s laid-back flow and Ibn Itaka’s fusion of 90s R&B, neo-soul, jazztronica and alternative rap is a perfect place to end such a project. Echo Chambers has definitely set the pace and for the rhythms Malik will assuredly be gifting us in the future.

Echo Chambers by Malik Polo is out now on streaming platforms.