EP Review: CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP // Summer Walker

Summer Walker‘s latest nine-track EP release, CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP, offers a soul-conscious spin on Neo-R&B that had fans reflecting on Summer’s not-so-soft healing journey from heartbreak. 

Over the past four years, Summer’s projects have been a vulnerable dive into the familiar frustrations and pain of toxic relationships. Building upon her Billboard-hit releases, Over It and Still Over It, CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP is an important addition to her well-loved discography – adding a layer to wholly understanding “her” and marking a milestone in her journey of healing and self-work. 

The ‘new’ sound encompasses a transitioning chapter in the CLEAR series, a series of reflective letters to a messy and virally-scrutinised relationship. It’s darker (production-wise), genuine and hosts special collaborations from J. Cole, and Childish Gambino that aim to heal Summer’s pain. The EP opener, ‘To Summer, From Cole (Audio Hug)’, featuring J. Cole sonically captures a different mood from what most fans expected to hear. As a matter of fact, an audio hug is exactly what it is. The lyrics are akin to an uplifting comfort session with a friend, reminding Summer that with all the pain she experienced in her relationships and all the shame she dealt with online, she deserves a little break to heal. “I’m sending you this little audio hug / In hopes that you smile forgettin’ the stress that piles from all the above”.

Having set the tone with the opener, ‘Hardlife’ and ‘Mind Yo Mouth’ combine an emotional and controversial take paired with harrowing instrumentals to showcase her feelings of being wronged. By comparison, fan-favourites ‘Pull Up’ and ‘New Type’, both produced by Jay Versace add a moody ambience to her imperfect fight to leave the toxic men she chases. The mellow blues follow on the rest of the EP in ‘Finding My Peace’, ‘Set Up (2017)’ and ‘How Does It Feel’, which hosts the familiar radio R&B sound known to audiences with a twist of Erykah Badu’s influence in her vocal performance.

The EP closes with a classic Solange and Steve Lacy production – ‘Agayu’s Revelation’, an honest and self-aware discussion where Summer reflects on the part she played in her pain. “I notice that in my relationships / I have a tendency to make people crumble / Into like dust”. She continues to explain her eye-opening revelation into her friendships and family relationships that she doesn’t give “enough energy” to because of her tendency to fix men with “fragile” egos.

The understated bassline and melodic piano backing track by John Kirby paint a vivid picture of Summer’s introspection. Above all, it strikes a delicate balance that’s neither overpowering nor underwhelming but seamlessly contributes to the overall track’s ambience. The smooth nature of the instrumentation – a signature to Solange’s production, fosters an intimate connection, to that of an intimate FaceTime call.

Clear Two is the beginning of Summer’s growth, a preparation for the self-work she needs to experience the soft life. It’s a callout to women like her, letting them know that she is at a turning point; ready to prioritise herself and the happiness she suppressed under her “ratchet-like” activities and that they should too. “We are going to evolve, mentally, spiritually, physically, financially / Um, emotionally / And we are going to have balance / ‘Cause that is the only way to maintain longevity.”

The EP is a strong switch-up from Summer’s usual silky style and raises the question of how her journey of healing sets the stage for the future development of her artistic endeavours. While the shift towards sultry instrumentals and introspective monologues may leave ‘Over It’ fans in unfamiliar territory, embracing Summer Walker’s change allows us to embark on a collective journey of healing from heartbreak.

Words by Elizabeth Barek

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