“Tonight I want to feel inferior… I wanna see you, just rip off the bandages” is the sentiment DESTIN CONRAD seems to live by on the soothingly striking SUBMISSIVE. Submitting to the throes of love — and the collateral damage that tends to follow — is exactly what the former Vine star turned R&B anomaly sets out to portray on his latest offering.
Packaged in the form of two 9-track EPs, the 23-year-old singer’s sticky melodies creep in closer the more you listen, as if features from Jordan Ward, Masego and Alex Isley weren’t enough star power to spin it in the first place. And yet, it’s the Tampa-based Conrad that scores career-high moments alongside a few of the genre’s most transcendent voices — especially on the rainy day, coffee shop jam “LOW TIDE” and sultry-sung “OUTTA CONTROL.”
Much like Brent Faiyaz, Destin employs the “singer with rapper” energy near flawlessly throughout his catalog. Singles in “LUV N DEVOTION” — which interpolates Rasta vibes consistent with Conrad’s Jamaican heritage — and the Jordan Ward-assisted “ONE THING” display Destin’s unabashed (and rather shameless) affinity to love despite any of jaded repercussions he faces. His “SUPER PARADISE” is the spark of romance felt in between the missed moments of an oft-seen lover: “What if I come through just to see what you live for?” This is where Destin shines brightest, backed by a barrage of heavenly precise ad-libs that mark his talent ten-fold.
Toxicity and obsession draw a fine line on SUBMISSIVE, and admittedly, the de facto dual disc is an embodiment of Conrad’s intoxicating sonic allure, initially introduced on breakout hits like “IN THE AIR” and “BILL$” off his 2021 debut, COLORWAY. It’s been a methodical climb towards acclaim, as Conrad’s minimalistic and nostalgic brand of R&B is as captivating as it is fleeting. Expansively rich and smooth, he’s lightning in a bottle — SUBMISSIVE’s shock value lies within Destin’s ability to send you soaring seconds into his melt-me-away croons and gorgeous, tropically-inclined production.
“WAR!”, “Time Moves Slow,” “SAME MISTAKE” and “ITS ONLY YOU” are the strongest offerings on SUBMISSIVE’s second iteration (Jan. 19), inviting you in like a slowly-burnt candle across the room. In tangent with the originally-released batch of tracks from October, the reason why these packs feel more like a double-album is because of S2’s beautifully arranged skits (“mum’s story” and “yo confidence pt. 2’). From tracks one through nine on each EP, it feels like a full immersion into Destin’s state of mind; teleporting you into the depths of his heart with a wealth of creative intention.
The songs compiled metamorph like a “MARIPOSA,” taking on multiple meanings throughout the entire experience. Change (in life’s seasons) rears its head as a sturdy pillar of Conrad’s perception. However, my penultimate thought remains more simple: Let go and fully submit yourself to its clutches. There’s no stopping Destin Conrad, with SUBMISSIVE reigning as a timeless opus of selfless lust, toil and evolution.
Check out Destin Conrad’s forthcoming “SUBMISSIBE Tour” kicking off in February.
Listen to “SUBMISSIVE” below!