The young Lille EFYX will release his first album, Y BOY, on September 24th. An ultra generational opus that will surely speak to Millennials.
2 years is the time it took EFYX to finalize its project. Since 2016, he has been working to be noticed and known, especially with a cover of Bowie (a pearl to listen to). His Urban Rock music, between 90's rock and electro rock, is a clever mix that he manages and sprinkles with catchy pop melodies.
We discovered it with Disconnected and we can say that this song stands in the first position of the album like a flag. The message is there, strong and powerful, carried by a heavy music that makes us aware of the weight that the generation that represents EFYX carries. He positions himself as a spokesperson and suddenly we are immediately very curious to know what he has to say. We feel, we know, that it will not necessarily be funny, not necessarily tender.
But let's get to the heart of the matter without delay…
It seems that EFYX has scrutinized our society with a look that is both disappointed and hopeful. Under his carried air, almost joyful, Unwanted signals a real malaise. That of rejection! Musically, we find almost some electro touch of the dance 90, before falling into an impulsive rock.
The Last King of a Lost World is like a farewell letter. But yet it is a huge message of encouragement, an invitation not to let ourselves be defeated by the observation of the world in which we evolve. More than an invitation, an incentive to get together and go in search of the ideal.
Among the things that EFYX cultivates, there is the taste of the symbol (its little side Thirty Seconds To Mars surely). Pyramid begins as a Beatles-style ballad or Oasis that would take a symphonic momentum… Not that far from metal opera. It's very lyrical! In the text, it is an ode to be oneself, to build oneself.
A little side Imagine Dragon also in the title Children of Midnight, A rise in power on a slow but marked pace. The message is a little more depressed, a kind of observation? I prefer to interpret this one as a kind of tale, a little mystical, which would show a disastrous end for children who would let themselves be consumed by their fears.
HiFi is the most musically agreed song to my taste. The message, disturbed me. Is it a criticism or a claim? The line is thin and quickly crossed.
A nice ballad for the title follows: I Can't Control It. Here, EFYX plays on the Bowie side that he claims in the verses. The choruses are more US rock. The lyrics are enigmatic, as if a couple were witnessing the end of the world…
Lasting Fame Recipe is an excellent review of today's music. The question is: will the people who listen to it dwell on the meaning? Because, for once, it's clear and impactful! I approve this message.
The next track starts like a music box and continues into a beautiful love song. In a City I Don't Know is a wandering in search of the lost being.
Elevator is the last title unveiled on the web pending the official release, next Monday, of the album. An amazing Hip Hop Rnb rhythm that turns fast towards Nu Metal. The lyrics at the end of the song are about this desire to escape a world that depresses us a little more every time we look at it. What role do you play when you feel so helpless? This is the question behind these words.
Y Boy is an excellent conclusion. A last ballad, dark and melancholic. A definition of what a Y Boy is: "I belong to the dark if they're defined by the light. " Mind you, it sounds a bit dark side of the force but it could actually be the beginning of a rebellion? To follow!
EFYX, ride the wave with agility!
He reuses the codes of what is done today but adapts them to his sauce. He thus succeeds in creating a kind of strong, hard-hitting and atypical hybrid style. His urban rock is on the edge of many references and fits well into a new current trend in music.
We feel that his identity is in the making, but already well on his way to existing. We could perhaps blame him for a too traditional construction of these titles that would certainly deserve a little more deconstruction in the composition.
In terms of words and commitment, this is the real strength of EFYX. He has things to say and says them well. It is aimed at a somewhat lost generation that needs to be reassured. There is really a Jared Leto side, maybe less stupid and more realistic on the observation.
I will see it as an awakener of conscience in these next titles. There are so many topics that affect millennials today (ecology, #metoo, employment, loss of bearings, need for recognition through the media or social networks that can destroy…). He has just attracted attention, all he has to do is build his message DIY way!
In short, Y BOY is a successful and promising first album for a young man who sings well and has things to say!
