By Faiire Platt

In just two years, Teezo Touchdown has made a name for himself featuring on hit songs with Don Toliver and Tyler, the Creator. Now, Teezo has released his own full-length project, “How Do You Sleep at Night?” This album is an unapologetic anthem that reinforces his eccentric image and sound. A few tracks from this album fall flat into cheesy, repetitive territory, but many touch on relatable experiences in a fun and catchy way. 

The album opens on a loud and energetic note in “OK.” The grungy instrumental feels like the opening sequence of a coming-of-age movie. This is also the first of multiple songs on the album produced by SADPONY, a collaborator on Lil Yachty’s recent experimental album “Let’s Start Here.” 

The lead single, “You Thought,” begins with the same energy and pace as the album’s opening song before switching into a mellow R&B melody. Janelle Monáe’s backup vocals complement the chorus well; my only complaint is that she didn’t play a bigger role in the song. I like how the transition seems to tell the story of a braggadocious young person whose pride has been stripped away due to heartbreak. 

“UUHH” is yet another love song with similar pacing to the previous track. It switches from aggressive and grimy to sweet and melodic during the chorus. The high notes are infectious and I found it very easy to sing along with the lyrics. 

My favorite track on the album is easily “Sweet.” Fousheé’s angelic vocals feel like a love letter, juxtaposed with Teezo’s child-like verses. The production is an interesting change of pace for producer BNYX, who spent much of this year working on hype party anthems for Travis Scott and Lil Uzi Vert. A combination of the song’s head-bopping beat, warm feel, and romantic theme make it a strong choice for the No. 1 track on the album.

“Impossible” is a dud track for me. The song touches on all the ways that young people are discouraged from following their dreams. Lyrically, it covers heavy topics like depression and unfulfilled dreams, but conveys them without a direction. Teezo encourages listeners to follow their dreams despite obstacles, but that’s about it. The message does not add much to the conversation in itself. 

The way Teezo handles mature topics in “Neighborhood” has more creative direction than the previous track. The song is riddled with clever and funny bars. Listeners may notice by this point that the album has multiple instances of dead silence followed by sound bites or one-liners from Teezo. This track has my favorite sound bite of all— the beep of a fire alarm with dying batteries. Teezo does an exceptional job of conveying his eerily calm and disheveled emotions. As the song progresses it feels like his calmness is running thin and that he’ll burst at any moment. 

“Mood Swings” is the first of a few funky and more uplifting tracks on the album. The song transports me to a sunny Monday afternoon spent rollerblading through the suburbs. Despite the uplifting melody, Teezo offers insight into how quickly his mood can change when little inconveniences pile on throughout the day. 

I can appreciate the mid-song genre switch that Teezo has made himself known for on this album. However, the chorus and intro for the track “Too Easy” are repetitive. The sample of “We Want Some P–sy” by 2 Live Crew doesn’t stand out, and Isaiah Rusk is seriously underutilized as a feature. 

“Familiarity” was released as a single earlier this year so I won’t spend time dissecting it. It has already been established as a popular song among Teezo Touchdown fans and I’m somewhat surprised it ended up on this album. 

Isaiah Rusk makes his second, and more meaningful, appearance in “I Don’t Think U C Me.” Teezo’s background vocals complement Rusk’s verse well. The slow R&B instrumental paired with an acoustic guitar is very soothing. 

“Daddy Mama Drama,” as the name implies, is about Teezo’s broken relationship with his parents. The instrumental is angsty and incredibly haunting. Its clichéd bars overlaid with an acoustic guitar make it skippable. Its lyrics are all over the place and the progression into metal comes across as cringey. 

“Nu Nay” has such a funky sound. The comedic lyrics are entertaining and I couldn’t resist the urge to sing along with Teezo’s high note in the chorus. It feels fitting that the producer behind much of Remi Wolf’s work, Solomonophonic, had a hand in this bouncy and eclectic track. I hope Teezo comes out with an extended version of “Nu Nay” someday.

The chorus of “Stranger” has a very psychedelic energy. Teezo’s drawn-out high notes get annoying as the song progresses, but the melody in the chorus is mellow and calming. Fans of the band Boston will appreciate Teezo sampling their hit song “More Than a Feeling.” Teezo would like to remind listeners of one important conclusion: The world is very, very tiny.

The final track on the album, “The Original Was Better,” addresses Teezo Touchdown’s critics and haters. Throughout the song, he reiterates how some people will never be happy with the final product and will always want to critique it. The song’s transition into EDM right at the bridge was unexpected and fun. I like that the album ends on an intense and fast-paced note.

“How Do You Sleep At Night?” is messy and diverse, which feels intentional. One of the subtle ways it touches on the coming-of-age theme is by mimicking the dynamic experience of growing up. There is certainly room for growth and improvement in Teezo Touchdown’s work. However, I think this debut album sets him up well as an up-and-coming artist. It shows that he experiments and can work with big-name artists on his terms, but more importantly, that he can differentiate himself as an artist.