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The year of 2022 brought arguably the most exciting releases of albums we have witnessed since March 2020; however, one project that didn’t receive the praise it utterly deserves is ‘Yesterday is Heavy’ by Bedford record producer Lil Silva. Not only did his music appear out of the blue, but also, he made his presence known with a debut album that makes you scratch your head and wonder; “Why haven’t I heard of him already?”
This goes without saying that Lil Silva has actually been roaming in the music industry since early as 2016 under the pretence of a simple producer and songwriter to the most acclaimed artists across the globe.
Feature
To understand why ‘Yesterday is Heavy’ is such an under appreciated collection of songs, it would take us to the undeniable well-sought after curation of music features. This includes the likes of Little Dragon, Charlotte Day Wilson, BADBADNOTGOOD, Skiifall, Ghetts, serpentwithfeet and not to forget, the multitalented British artist who selectively chooses whom he collaborates with: Sampha. From this list alone, it should inform you that Lil Silva isn’t bound to any specific genre and instead, he makes any sound that he touches on his own.
Moreover, by working with a variety of artists in different countries, this gave Lil Silva an upper hand in several audiences, while offering something new to each of them. Although the Bedford producer is not primarily a rapper nor a singer, the ground he builds through each song with features doesn’t go unnoticed and after a few listens, you really get a feel for the musical universe of Lil Silva.
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Content
Another point worth mentioning is the content of some of the lyrics coming from Lil Silva directly. In the song ‘About Us’ for example, the Bedford artist takes the role as the main narrator and explains the importance of keeping yourself down to earth, while recognizing one’s limitations. In most cases, this would be looked down upon as creatives tend to strive for the impossible and are pushed to look exceptional; however, with the soft singing in the background and Silva’s humbling words, the message feels genuine. He is not implying that we aren’t special and unique in our own ways but, we’re also humans and it comes with its own defaults.
On the other hand, ‘Colours’ serves as a reminder that we’re indifferent and our skin colour doesn’t define us as individuals. While repeating the same phrase over and over again until the track reaches a break and embarks into an electronic drum escape, what stands out are the following lyrics; “Last time I checked, we all bleed the same thing.” In a sense, Lil Silva not only destroys the concept of race but also urges us to look deeper, in search of answers to world questions such as; ‘what is our purpose on earth?’
Overview
When it comes to what this album has to offer, it shows that Lil Silva has potential in becoming a path-maker into alternative approaches of making music. Under the duration of just 45 minutes, it is clear that the electronic producer is looking to shift things and change our perception of producers.
Where in most collaborations, the vocalists are to take the lead while the producer takes the back burn, Silva does it differently. And the more you pay attention, the more you realise his DNA is spread everywhere across each track.
To conclude this, Lil Silva was able to demonstrate his strength in both storytelling and curation. He undoubtedly has a sharp mind and only time can tell what else he has to share with the world.
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