![“XIII SORROWS,” 8 Songs](https://phsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_1671.png)
Odetari, formerly known as VEXEN, is a musician who has around 9.1 million monthly listeners, according to Spotify. His music is best described as electronic dance music. He has been making music since 2021 but released his first album on Sep. 15.
The album is titled “XIII SORROWS” and has eight tracks. Some of the songs were released before the album. Two of the songs came with music videos, three with anime music videos and one with a lyric video. Every song has an official sped up and slowed down version, but those weren’t included in the album.
The first song on the album is titled “HYPNOTIC DATA,” which features robotic vocals and beats. The instrumental in this song is very powerful and fun.
I give “HYPNOTIC DATA” a 7/10.
The next track is “GMFU,” a collaboration with 6arelyhuman. “GMFU,” released on July 26, is a fast paced and energetic beat. The song came with a music video and an anime music video. While the chorus feels repetitive and boring, I enjoyed the verses and 6arelyhuman’s parts of the song.
I give “GMFU” a 7/10.
“LOOK DON’T TOUCH” is the third song on the album. The song, released on May 17 is a collaboration with Cade Clair and came with an anime music video. “LOOK DON’T TOUCH” is the most popular song on the album, and I can clearly see why. The lyrics are about setting boundaries and showing honesty in relationships. Many people would think that this would make the song too serious and boring, but Odetari does a good job of making the song playful and catchy.
I give “LOOK DON’T TOUCH” an 8/10.
“ME N U DATE” is next on the album. This chorus feels very repetitive to me, sort of like “GMFU.” The instrumental is very hypnotic though and sounds like something you would hear in a video game.
I give “ME N U DATE” a 5/10.
The fifth song on the album is titled “GOOD LOYAL T—” and was released on March 15. This song came with a music video and an anime music video. The vocals on this song satisfyingly go from very high in the verses to very low in the chorus. Towards the end, the chorus repeats but even lower. I found the transition between the normal chorus and the lower part very choppy and out of place. I am also not fond of the lyrics and find them hypocritical, as they’re about not committing to one relationship but being mad when women don’t commit either.
I give “GOOD LOYAL T—” a 6/10.
“HYPER FANG,” a collaboration with JELEEL, is next up on the album. The instrumental features a sound throughout the entire song that sounds like a slot machine constantly rolling. I don’t like JELEEL’s verses, as his voice is so pitched up it almost makes the song painful to listen to. This song feels unique to the rest of the songs on the album, but it wasn’t executed that well.
I give “HYPER FANG” a 2/10.
Next on the album is “GET UP OFF ME.” This song is a bit slower compared to the others. The song is very short, and towards the end it slows down and then speeds up, making Odetari sound like a chipmunk. I found the speed differences very odd, and the song doesn’t flow very well.
I give “GET UP OFF ME” a 1/10.
The last song on the album is titled “NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER.” Released on April 1, this song is about Odetari’s struggle with self-centeredness. This song is the only one with an official lyric video. It is my favorite song on the album. The instrumental is interesting to listen to and the lyrics are fun and unapologetic. This song has very sped up parts, but they were done a lot better than the fast parts in “GET UP OFF ME.”
I give “NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER” a 10/10.
Overall, I give this album a 7/10. I recommend this album to anyone who’s looking for exciting and fun music to listen to. Many people criticize the album because of its popularity on TikTok, but I think people should put their preconceived notions aside and give this album a listen.