It is so crazy to think that just over a year ago, Arden Jones made his official debut with his massive single “Parallel Parking.” The track quickly went viral, casting away any doubts or reservations the singer and songwriter may have felt about sharing his music with the world. After such a successful release, Arden was able to release four more singles that further showcased his ability to create irresistible hooks and catchy melodies, providing an entertaining soundtrack for the year. Now a year after “Parallel Parking,” Arden has quite a plan up his sleeve as to how things will proceed for 2022: On the first Thursday of each month, he will be releasing one EP. Last month, for instance, Arden dropped age tape 1, which has already accrued over one million streams. For March, Arden is giving us age tape 2, further expanding the original sound we have come to associate with the artist.
The EP kicks off with the lustrous “day by day,” which contains a message about taking care of yourself when in the process of getting over someone. Over an intricate hip-hop production, Arden sings and raps that he’ll “just write these songs to heal my heart” before mentioning that he continues to let this person go “day by day.” In the end, he hopes to get to a better place, as we hear on the following track “the other side.” Filled with dramatic downbeats and layered vocals, the track captures the feeling of wanting more. As Arden longingly describes, “I wanna be exposed to what’s on the other side,” we expect that he will get there soon. It all comes to a head on the closing track “run wild,” where he lets off some steam, venting about money, people adopting fake personas, and those out there who gave him hate for his rap. Out of the three tracks, this one hits the hardest, making for an exciting close to the EP.
In the end, Arden continues to give us just enough to keep us engaged and interested without revealing too much. It is easy enough to miss a chorus or a hook on the first listen, as each track runs quite short. However, part of the EP’s charm is the way you can indulge in it any time, any place, and for however long you wish. Before you know it, it will be time to bask in the radiance of Arden’s next EP, which will arrive April 7.
You can listen to age tape 2 on platforms like Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music.
Keep up with Arden Jones: Instagram // Facebook // TikTok // YouTube // Website
