Few artists appreciate the joy of a late-night drive like Karri. With last year’s Late Night Slider Music and its newly released sequel, SLIDER II, the San Francisco native has recreated the atmosphere of a midnight cruise while cautiously emerging from the world of underground R&B. He’s been backed by Drake and longtime friend Chubbs, who signed Karri to his PFL Records imprint. At first, Karri mostly stuck to his “Lo’ N Slo’” sound, which pairs lo-fi production with slurred, woozy vocals. Now he’s sharpened his approach by pairing those vocals with brighter production that gives room for more emotion and color: It’s like he realized the destination is just as important as the drive.
Karri isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel with SLIDER II, but he does find new ways to expand his approach. SLIDER II begins with “Crashout,” a minute-long vent session that cuts deep over the somber strums of a guitar. “That nine-to-five ain’t got you working/Just clock out cause you worked my last nerve,” he sings. His vocals are bare, as if they were sung into a voice memo for future use, lending a new sense of vulnerability for his music. “Unconditional Interlude” pairs Karri and Pimmie, a growing interlude specialist and $ome $exy $ongs 4 U feature standout, as a swooning couple. Their voices are stern and gentle until a climatic repeat of the chorus breaks the tension. With Karri’s echoing affirmation of unconditional love, it’s the only moment on the record when things feel certain.
SLIDER II also marks a development for Karri’s production, offering more vibrancy without completely steering away from his comfort zone. Produced by Noel Cadastre, “Not a Romantic” cruises as Karri’s Auto-Tuned vocals pierce through an echoing bass with the chill of an ice pack to the neck. Echoing organ-like synths swing in like a gust of wind behind, adding a jolt of life into what would’ve otherwise been another dose of dark sky soliloquies. But it’s not always so melancholy. “Go,” with Kehlani, brings the Bay Area bounce to the forefront by sampling E-40’s “Tell Me When to Go,” making it the most fun and high-spirited song in Karri’s catalog.
With these tone shifts comes a sense of optimism. Mack Keane’s shimmering production on “Time Again” contrasts with Karri’s pleas to an unrequited love, and though the metaphors may be cheesy (“Only one that told me nice guys finish last/And all these bright skies can turn to ash”), they showcase a singer swept off his feet and head over heels in love. You get a sense of where Karri’s mind wanders to during his nighttime drives. Where Late Night Slider Music dwelled on the pain, SLIDER II looks toward the future. Even though he still thrives under dark skies, Karri makes it a point to show us that there’s still life under the stars.
