New Release Friday: Joey Valence & Brae Return with 'HYPERYOUTH (afterparty)'

JOEY VALENCE & BRAE: HYPERYOUTH (AFTERPARTY)

SCORE: 100/100

Rarely is a deluxe edition more entertaining than the main album - but the "afterparty" edition of HYPERYOUTH may just be the definitive way to listen to the album.

The party is never over when it comes to Joey Valence & Brae, and the steady fanbase they have built over the years is truly striking. Just a few years ago they were as underground as it got, playing small clubs and building a cult following before striking massive success - and yet they still remain independent, something incredibly refreshing and pleasing to see in the current state of music; they've never been held down, and this selection of six new tracks showcases that perfectly. 

There are elements within these songs that backtrack to their old, gritty hip hop sound while continuing the party sound of HYPERYOUTH - and this might just be the most comprehensive Joey Valence & Brae album experience within their entire discography. It's rare that an artist has no bad material in their discography, but the duo manages to have a completely perfect discography from front to back. 

Joey Valence & Brae are a duo that means a lot to me and my family, as we have made many memories listening to them and seeing them live on three different occasions - whenever they come to a city near us, we're front and center reliving the party over and over again. Being able to grow up alongside them and listen as their music grows more introspective and reflective is something that has given me a musical path within my life, and HYPERYOUTH was one of the most important albums to release for me personally in recent years. This reissue will help fans to live out that release all over again, and it came at a perfect time - right in the divide between winter and spring, that lull of new beginnings and harmony within life; it all comes together into something deeply symbolic and freeing.