Mike Posner crash landed onto the charts in 2010 with his breakthrough hit Cooler Than Me. That track reached the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic and gave Posner a worldwide smash. His follow-up singles Please Don’t Go and Bow Chicka Wow Wow featuring Lil’ Wayne failed to reach the highs of his debut but his first album 31 Minutes to Takeoff peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard 200. Since then we’ve scarcely seen Posner on this side of the pond but 5 years on and he’s back with a brand new sound.
The Truth EP is the first proper release from Posner since 2013 when he released singles The Way It Used To Be and Top of the World featuring Big Sean in the US. Neither single made an impact on the charts. Two announced albums – Sky High and Pages – never saw the light of day and Posner signed a new label deal with Island Records. It’s clear from the four tracks on The Truth that Posner is reinventing himself and moving away from the pop/hip-hop sounds of his debut album.
The EP opens with I Took a Pill in Ibiza, a surprisingly stripped-down track that sees Posner singing confessional lyrics about his sudden rise to fame and subsequent struggle. The song is a far cry from anything we’ve heard from Posner before and it’s refreshing to hear him singing so honestly and boldy. Elsewhere on the EP Posner sings about his hometown on Buried in Detroit and reflects on the breakdown of a relationship during his breakthrough in 2010.
The standout track on the EP is lead single Be As You Are. Taking the same stripped-down approach as the rest of the EP, the track is a song about self-empowerment and the importance of being who you truly are. Over the course of the song Posner reflects on the loneliness he felt at the height of his fame and credits his mother with helping him navigate the difficult curveballs life throws at us all.
The Truth is a bold return for Posner. Fans of his previous work will be surprised by this new collection of songs but we wouldn’t be surprised if he picks up more fans with this new sound. We’re excited to see what Posner delivers when his second album finally arrives later this year and if it’s anything like the tracks on The Truth, it’s going to be a very strong record.
