Meraki Trice – B1nary 111 (2022)
Most stories focus on the tale of the hero and the struggles they face to overcome the evil of their world. Meraki Trice is turning this concept on its head with the EP B1nary 111 which dives into what it means to be the villain of a story. Through the tracks, Trice looks at the life of the antagonist while touching on the fact that the world can’t be divided into binary black and white.
Sliding through the greyscale of the world, each track is another chapter in the tale that showcases the truth about the making of a modern villain. While music has been a passion of Trice’s since they were a child, it was only in the heart of the pandemic that they started to create the music they are now unleashing on the world. Through their sound, they take aspects of their life story and reach out to others who have struggled with the same.
The tale of the EP begins with ‘Mr. J’ and our main character becoming enamoured with a quintessential bad boy. It is a really short opening track at only 44 seconds and brings a hazy whispered vocal performance. Beneath the hazy vocals, is a creeping, almost ominous melody that touches on the darkness that is to come. While short, the track sets the tone of the EP while tapping into the sense that many people are attracted to the things that will torment them. With a title drawing on the relationship between Harley Quinn and the Joker, it offers a different perspective of attraction and desire.
‘Toxic Values’ continues some of the darkness of the opening track while bringing a lighter touch to the opening. There is a vibrating tone that brings a wash of RnB to the track that enhances the twilight vibes of the melody. Trice’s vocals retain some of their haziness, but gain a smoother almost soulful vibe to them. This is a wonderful combination of RnB and neo-soul with a fantastic unique and modern flair. You can feel the essence of Trice’s music in this track, while the lyrics look at putting up with the less savoury aspects of someone’s personality to retain their affection. In the overall tale of the EP, you can feel that this is the real moment that our main character starts to slide into a more villainous touch. Told from the perspective of the other person in a relationship, it highlights the fact that they are comfortable with the darker morals of this role.
A more traditional RnB flow hits through the opening of ‘SasuNaru’ where Trice is joined by TommyPapi. There is a richness to this track as their vocals flow over each other and entwine together for a decadent embrace. The horns bring a new texture to the sound, adding a new edge to the track. Through the lyrics, we see our main character encounter an estranged lover and reignite an old fling. The punch of the more hip-hop flows keeps you guessing where the track is going. There is an interesting dynamic movement to this track as it swings from rich RnB and the burst of horns and the beats of hip-hop. This swing of sound creates a turbulence to the emotions and thoughts of the track.
‘Collectivo’ brings a sadder vibe to the EP with a rather mournful instrumentation calling out against the lament of the vocals. This is one of the richer tracks on the EP as it sinks into soulful flows to bring the pain and sadness of the emotions. The mournful tones give way to a slightly shuffling beat that leads you into more modern RnB territory. This is a really beautiful track that uses the richest elements of neo-soul to bring the lament of the track, while the vocals have this delightful hint of something a little darker.
The story of the EP comes to a close with ‘Sneak a Peek’ which is potentially the most bitter of all the tracks. The opening is packed with darkness and sadness that curls into a plea for attention. Trice’s vocals are smoky as they curl around the lyrics which are packed with the desire for acknowledgement, love and attention from someone they care about. While there is a serious edge of bitterness to the performance, there is also the feeling that this is the root of all the main character’s actions. It is a rather nuanced look at what drives a person to do what they do, while highlighting some of the serious issues in the world. All of this is wrapped up in a really soulful flow that slides across your skin like velvet.
Through the tracks of B1nary 111, Meraki Trice tells an interesting tale with a flair of soulful RnB that walks the line between villainy and existentialism. Each track is a new chapter in the story that culminates with a nuanced look at what really drives the main character. Through all of the tracks, there is an undercurrent that considers the societal circumstances that lead to the actions taken and emotions felt.
Find out more about Meraki Trice on their Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
