Dark-rap has begun to make its presence known in the mainstream. One artist pioneering the sub-genre has remained low-key for quite a while but that most likely will change. His name is Night Lovell, and he recently released his debut album GOODNIGHT LOVELL.

Not much is known about Lovell, only that his real name is Shermar Paul and he is from Ottawa, Canada. Originally one of the first artists to use the streaming platform Soundcloud in 2014 to get his music noticed, Paul has been around for a few years. With a style that blends pronunciation much like Playboi-Carti & utilizing dark, bass-heavy beats, Lovell is a unique artist. Not many people can sound hype and full of energy while maintaining a dark persona at the same time.

Lovell has stated in the past that his name “Night” comes from his almost “love” relationship with the night, saying that he only records at night, as he feels that’s when he’s most productive. “Lovell” is his father’s middle name.

GOODNIGHT LOVELL,  the third project released by Lovell, contains 18 songs for a length time of 45 minutes and serves as his break into the mainstream. GOODNIGHT LOVELL hits the ground running with its first four songs MARY JANE, BAD KID, LET ME DIE, and MENTAL SLAVERY. Each one of these songs includes the signature, “cloud-rap”  style of rap that sounds hazy and dreamy, yet makes one feel like dancing all at once.

Cover art is one of, if not the, most important aspect of an album. It can make-or-break an artist’s first impression on viewers. Lovell knew this and decided to make his cover personal.

“So you can’t see in the album cover, but there’s a cage surrounding the skeleton which I’ll probably incorporate in stuff like live shows. So the cage represents my dreams, and the skeleton represents what would happen to me if I was stuck inside my dreams. The jacket is just to give it some Lovell spice,” Lovell told The Fader.

“GOODNIGHT LOVELL” is a haunting album, while managing to be thrilling at the same time. The project’s theme of dark, melodic beats fits perfectly when combined with the wordplay that Lovell uses. It is best listened to at night, just as Lovell had intended it to.