BRIEL the Artist’s DAMN GENESIS is not just a debut mixtape, it’s a vibrant, unfiltered journey into self‑liberation. A seamless blend of Alternative R&B, Hip‑Hop, and indie vibrancy, this record navigates loss, identity, sexuality, faith, and rebirth with raw honesty and emotional depth.
From the opening track, “THE BLINDS”, you’re plunged into a world of beautiful chaos, as if being blindfolded and guided through an unfamiliar terrain. Your heart is tethered to BRIEL’s velvety voice while glitchy beats and unexpected sonic flourishes swirl around it. It’s an immersive reflection on infatuation and perception, how we construct love in our heads before we know the reality. The pre‑chorus loops your thoughts (“Eyes closed… thinking about what we could’ve been”) while the chorus—“I’m blind… baby you know I’m blind”—captures longing in its purest, most electrifying form.
Then comes “LADIES SONG”, a powerful anthem of self‑love and recognition. BRIEL’s sincerity and smooth vocal delivery make every word feel like a personal affirmation. The song feels like a hand reaching out, grounding you and reminding you of your worth, particularly in moments when toxic love tries to eclipse self-esteem.
On the hypnotic track “BLUR”, BRIEL turns emotional uncertainty into art. One review describes it as a haze of woozy synth melodies and clipped percussion that mirrors the fog of a failing connection. This song lives in that moment where communication collapses, not with drama, but with quiet pain. His alter ego, P!MP B, appears as a counterweight, a sardonic, witty escape hatch from despair. That tension between weary longing and ironic detachment becomes the emotional heart of the song.
“DANGEROUS”, meanwhile, crackles with catharsis. With lyrics that let the inner teenager speak, raw and unfinished, the song feels like a cleansing, a spoken-language ritual of emotional honesty. Set against trap rhythms and depth of indie texture, “DANGEROUS” is both gritty and healing, sharp and liberating.
Across DAMN GENESIS, BRIEL wears his identity like a declaration. A Black queer man from the Bronx, he leans into those roots, the influence of ballroom, R&B heroes like SZA and Summer Walker, and his faith, without erasing a single part of himself. There’s power in hearing him print terms like “bottom” and “bareback” unfiltered into his music, not for shock, but to affirm lived experience, queer language, and authentic expression.
Production‑wise, DAMN GENESIS feels both polished and alive. BRIEL largely produced it himself, freestyling in his notes app, layering rough YT‑sourced beats with later studio touches from collaborators like brokebwoy and engineer Kean Lane. The result is a visceral, intimate soundscape: sometimes smooth and sensual, sometimes jagged and raw, a perfect mirror of the inner turmoil and moments of triumph that define the album.
What truly makes DAMN GENESIS sing is its vulnerability. BRIEL doesn’t just vent; he creates space, spaces to heal, wrestle, shout, and love. Thematic arcs of destruction and rebirth punctuate every track, culminating in an emotional reset that’s both personal and universal .
If you’ve ever felt boxed in, underestimated, or starved for music that truly sees you, DAMN GENESIS is your anthem. It’s messy, beautiful, unapologetic—and most importantly, it’s real. Brava, BRIEL.