The emotional weight that Gen Z carries in this day and age is particularly ponderous, dealing through the struggles of everyday life with anxiety and in-house seclusion. In a recent Instagram post, the young artist and producer Curtis Waters stated that he spent “half a year just wasting in his bed taking pills so he could sleep thru his miserable life”, worried about being a disappointment of a musician from an immigrant family.

All this period of time and internal doubts laid the foundation for Curtis Waters’ sophomore album ‘Pity Party’, a collection of straightforward reflections cradled by alternative punk influences and internet. Kid anthems about surviving love and its many facets, often hidden behind fragile insecurities. 

The album is a full swing of moods, where Waters is trying to get ahold of his persona: he’s woozy and self-deprecating on ‘Shoe Laces’, a bedroom pop song with a nostalgic vibe, whilst hyperactive and all-caps on ‘Do Not Disturb’, which sits across the Soundcloud latest wave of unfiltered and distorted rap.

Where ‘Pity Party’ succeeds is in its deliberate, almost jaw-dropping honesty and tenderness, almost always taking responsibility for his mistakes and unfortunate situations, showcasing a pleasant level of presence and empathy.