“Is anybody out there? Can anybody hear me?” would be a striking refrain from any artist, but coming on the posthumous album from rapper <person>Lil Peep</person> it feels especially harrowing. The Long Island-raised <person>Gustav Åhr</person> died one year ago of an accidental overdose, aged 21. Much of this follow-up to his August 2017 debut had been recorded with his producer, <person>Smokeasac</person>, prior to <person>Peep</person>’s death; his mother then sifted through the material to curate a work that would honour her son’s memory.
Come Over When You’re Sober Pt 2 does exactly that. While it’s more poignant than ever to hear him sing, on the same track, about trying suicide and life being beautiful, or matter-of-factly relating his drug abuses, there is no attempt to sugar-coat his legacy. Unfiltered, melodic, cinematic and raw, this album has moments that feel a little cheesy, but that’s in keeping with how unconcerned he was with “coolness”. Ending on uplifting spikes of synth and guitar on Fingers, <person>Peep</person> says “I’m not gonna last long” – but this record belies that, and may provide solace for his many devastated fans.