With his wide sonic range and seemingly endless library of pop-culture references, BBY GOYARD’s “Depth Perception” EP is both eccentric and stimulating.
After releasing a constant stream of singles including hits like “Run Shannon Run” and inking a deal with Payday Records, BBY GOYARD has released his highly anticipated debut EP, Depth Perception.
As BBY GOYARD’s first proper project, the aptly titled Depth Perception gives new listeners and longtime fans a glimpse of how deep — and straight out of left field — the Maryland rapper can go with his signature sound. Over the short four-song tracklist, BBYGOYARD raps over beats that range from the wispy, understated psychedelia of “That’s a Drag” produced by Harrison, to the zany, off-kilter synths and bombastic 808s found on “Wild Thing” and “The Louvre,” produced by Fatherblaze and Khroam respectively. BBY GOYARD’s versatility is also apparent in his vocal delivery as he can go from rapping in a near-whispered mumble on one song to a full-voiced charismatic flow on the next.
Yet what truly sets BBY GOYARD apart from his contemporaries is more than just his ear for beats and his ability to manipulate his voice; it’s the way he’s able to craft songs by drawing from an endless library of pop-culture references stashed away in the back of his mind. On “Wild Thing”, he crafts an infectious hook out of a reference to the poplar sports bar chain, Buffalo Wild Wings. Similarly the chorus in “The Lourve” gives a cheeky nod to America’s favorite science guy, Bill Nye.
On the opening lines of “That’s A Drag,” BBY GOYARD raps, “They tried to put me in a box, Marcia Brady / Screaming fuck twelve yeah, fuck Tom Brady.” In two short lines, he effectively refers to the Brady Bunch and Tom Brady to illustrate his disdain for law enforcement. It’s a microcosm of his lyrical style. In the same song, he goes on to reference to Daffy Duck and Ice Cube and Kevin Hart’s buddy cop comedy Ride Along. At one point he deftly creates a double entendre by seamlessly combining references to the hit show, Pretty Little Liars, and the critically acclaimed late 2000’s sitcom, Pushing Daisies.
These are references that the average listener likely won’t catch upon the first play through, but that’s part of what makes this project so enjoyable. In addition to the hard-hitting beats and the energy BBY GOYARD exudes with his delivery, there are all of these witty little lyrical references to uncover with each listen that are guaranteed to leave the listener grinning. Depth Perception is only BBY GOYARD’s first EP, but this fun and eccentric batch of songs is certainly a sign of good things to come. Give it a listen below.