Album Review: Shadowbox by Mavi

Mavi returns with his latest album, which finds him grappling with weighty themes such as alcoholism and sorrow. The rapper fearlessly confronts personal struggles and pain with resonant verses.

Courtesy of Mavi 4 Mayor.

Following the critical acclaim of his 2019 debut album, Let the Sun Talk, Mavi intended to release a record titled Shango, which he characterized as “a very manly, muscular album.” However, those plans were ultimately abandoned. Instead, in early 2021, Mavi unveiled the EP End of the Earth, a project that conveyed a sense of inner struggle. With the release of 2022’s Laughing So Hard, It Hurts, Mavi presents an album that exposes raw emotions and lays bare tender vulnerabilities. Even in its most introspective and melancholic passages, the album crackles with an underlying yearning for tranquility and contentment.

Mavi’s newest release, Shadowbox, represents his most frank and personal work to date. It stands among the most sincere and intimate music released in recent times. On this album, Mavi adeptly bridges the gap between the introspective approach of his earlier works and the production style he employs here. The beats on Shadowbox possess a refined, organic quality while still incorporating elements of the more minimalistic and experimental sounds he has previously explored. Although Mavi’s delivery may not match the intensity of his debut, he avoids falling into conformity, a pitfall that has occasionally hindered his recent output. Throughout Shadowbox, Mavi’s keen intellect is evident, demonstrating his capacity to harness his mental acuity in creating his art.

The opening lines on “Grindstone” over the TwoTone backdrop, “I claim I’m quittin’, it’s been too many ‘tomorrow’s/Too many withdrawals, my jewelry worth a car note,” immediately introduce us to the struggles of addiction and unfulfilled aspirations. This track, laden with complex emotional layers and sharp introspection, offers a mirror into the soul of an individual wrestling with the realities of aspiration, reality, and the often unyielding grind of life. Mavi combines figurative language and philosophical insights throughout the two-part “Open Waters” to dissect personal and existential dilemmas. The imagery of ‘waters’ and ‘baptism’ represents a cleansing or rebirth, highlighting Mavi’s emotional and spiritual quest for peace and renewal amidst personal upheaval. Additionally, in one of the verses, he articulates a nuanced dread not of failure but of his potential when he mentions, “I don’t think failure scare me as much as my talent.”

The theme of existential assurance coupled with a personal touch on the opener, “20,000 Leagues,” forms an emotional core that drives the song’s appeal, making it resonate on multiple levels—personal, philosophical, and poetic. With elements reminiscing on personal battles and conventional wisdom, “I Did” articulates a keen dialogue on personal failings and introspection, set against a backdrop of contemporary struggle and the quest for identity and meaning. In “I’m So Tired,” the lyrics embody a dense, confessional style where personal tribulations and reflections mingle seamlessly. The verse opens with a striking juxtaposition: the celebration of his grandmother’s eightieth birthday is clouded by his own medicated state (portraying the disconnect between familial milestones and personal despair), underscoring a day that should be joyous yet weighed down by personal struggles.

"Today, my grandmother turn eighty

And I’m on three Percocets; I ain’t even ate yet.”

Producer Monte Booker returns here on “My Own Way,” where Mavi dissects the intricacies of personal struggles, existential dilemmas, and spiritual inquiries. Through such introspective lyricism, he navigates a complex emotional terrain that is reflective yet disturbed by external pressures and expectations. Kendrick Lamar’s collaborators, Beach Noise, produced two songs on the album with aforementioned “20,000 Leagues” and “The Giver,” with the latter articulately captures the internal conflict of someone who still harbors feelings for a past partner, typified in the line, “How you happy with another guy? Was wrapped in me, is he just as fine?” This question not only highlights the personal insecurities aroused by the new relationship but also questions the equivalence of emotional connection and satisfaction that the new partner could possibly provide.

Mavi’s choice of lyrical construction on “Too Much to Zelle” allows the audience to witness the juggling of personal turmoil and triumph, offering an unfiltered glimpse into his life’s convolutedness. However, the Grant Lapointe and Stoic-laced beat don’t grab you, making it a lesser track compared to the ones that add to the project, such as “Testimony,” where he eloquently navigates the complexities of personal history, longing, and existential contemplation through its verse and hook, crafting a narrative that pulsates with the pain and aspirations. “Tether” deepens into themes of familial ties, personal demons, and the quest for redemption. Mavi’s wordplay reflects a profound internal conflict and an acute awareness of his surroundings.

“It’s just me and you

While I forgot to breathe, you grew."

“The Sky is Quiet” unravels as a narrative teeming with rich and often raw observations on social disparities, personal struggle, and a quest for serenity amidst chaos over a boom-bap Jacob Rochester beat. Mavi’s ability to evoke vivid pictures and emotional responses from seemingly mundane occurrences is evident in “I done made hearts bleed, scars sing, cars screech.” After following the “Drown the Snake” skit about internal struggles and growth through the metaphor of an inner demon evolving alongside one’s “inner child,” Mavi operates within a piteous description framework, articulately addressing themes of hardship, escapism, and spiritual seeking on “Drunk Prayer.” His use of metaphors such as “Ursa Major was the ladle, come and scoop me” and his depiction of heartache and struggle, “My heart was banging out the cage, they caught us speeding,” extend the emotional landscape, evoking a visceral response.

With the melodic and laid-back track, Latch,” the lyrics pivot around themes of existential struggle and personal epiphany, executing a deep dive into the psyche of an artist confronting inner demons and outer challenges. The verse captures a visceral image of battling addiction and the pursuit of contentment, employing metaphors that illustrate a journey of transformation and self-discovery. Throughout Shadowbox, the interplay of introspection and outward challenge captures the complexity of striving for growth amidst chaos, reflecting personal adversity and the struggle toward self-realization. Mavi articulates, “I metamorphosized and made a course up out my trenches,” suggesting a dynamic shift from entrapment to forging a path forward.

Great (★★★★☆)

Favorite Track(s): “20,000 Leagues,” “Latch,” “The Giver”