Breland

The world of country trap finds yet another advocate in BRELAND, the singer-rapper whose viral song “My Truck” positioned him as a rising star. Where his contemporary Lil Nas X used his debut to display his versatility, BRELAND melds the aesthetic and lyrical sensibilities of the genres in a manner that reflects a genuine appreciation for both; it\'s down-home but it\'s cosmopolitan, playful but also clever. When he takes props of country culture (horses, big trucks, do-si-dos) and places them against a trap backdrop (thundering 808s, racing hi-hats) or inverts the formula with gratuitous bravado atop guitar strums, it highlights the latent shared qualities of each. The fusion is akin to “drinking Bud Light from a champagne glass,” as he quips on the amiable “Hot Sauce.” It doesn\'t hurt that he\'s also picked up cosigns from a handful of country music\'s heavy hitters, including Sam Hunt, who joins the remix of “My Truck,” and Chase Rice, who offers a pleasant vocal contrast alongside Lauren Alaina on the poppier “In the Woulds.” Make no mistake, though: BRELAND is no more a one-trick pony than he is a gimmick. On songs like “Beautiful Lies” and “WiFi,” he drops the drawl to reveal a singing voice that slots comfortably within the modern R&B and pop landscapes; musing about the internet—as a metaphor for connection, of course—almost sounds like true romance when he slides into his falsetto. *BRELAND* advances the case that genre essentialism remains only for those nostalgics who are unwilling to embrace the spirited fluidity of the present.