Auto Lola: Idiomatic (Review)
The Latest EP from one of the most enigmatic artists in Washington DC’s underground scene is a breathtaking introduction from a kid who wears his influences on his sleeve without ever sacrificing his voice.
You would be excused for mistaking Auto Lola for a more established artist. A regular figure in the DC underground, Auto has been honing his craft over the past few years, frequently appearing on tracks with fellow DC natives such as NAPPYNAPPA & WiFiGawd. On Idiomatic, he is joined by 3 of the Districts most innovative producers: Pat Cain, Jelani Kwesi, and Black Moses. Together they are able craft a project that exists in a space all by itself.
The EP starts off with a heartbeat-like pulsing instrumental on Carte Blanche as Auto rattles of the qualities are unique to him alone. The combination of an off-kilter start-stop flow with occasional stream of conscious singing hearkens back to the days of 808s & heartbreak with slightly obvious hints of Young Thug.
One of the hallmarks of a well-produced album is the quality of the song outro’s and Auto does not disappoint, his indecipherable autotune crooning flows perfectly into the next song.
Leap of Faith is his announcement to the world. Everything you thought you knew about Auto goes out the window on this project. “Leave the old me to sleep he ain’t waking up” he sings. This is an artist ready to take the next step and leave the past where it belongs. A key theme throughout this EP is the wide array of vocal effects used to express different feelings in each of the songs. On Luciform, The effects are stripped down as he is joined by fellow artist young peas. Auto speaks on his journey up to this point over lush production paired with beautiful vocal samples that would fit seamlessly on a drain gang album. Auto’s verse is pretty short, wisely allowing the production to live and breathe for most of the track.
The second half of the album begins with the Rumination Interlude with a beat that sounds like alien boom-bap or something you might hear on an Adult Swim bump. This combined with a powerful speech from an Indigenous People’s day event is the perfect transition to the second half of the album. Rumination is probably his best vocal performance on the project. The synth heavy production and vocal effects will have you checking the song credits for Kevin Parker’s name but this is Auto Lola in his element. Crooning about love and pain, his voice contains so much emotion that you can’t help but get pulled into his world.
Wayward is Auto at his most confident, questioning others for not taking chances and wasting time. He stresses the importance of friends, family and their protective nature, “only opps I see round me is opportunity, diplomatic shit I got immunity, I got community”. Community is the word that encapsulates this EP. “It’s a combination of all the shit I been on” says Auto, “I’m inspired by everything”. Idiomatic is a Fantastic EP with well crafted songwriting, lush vocals, and sophisticated production. It is an eye-opening debut from an artist with so much more to offer. Available on April 22nd, 2022 via Future Times