​Listen to Erick The Architect’s ‘Black Resilience’ playlist

Contrary to his name, Erick The Architect‘s art has a deconstructive element to it. Creatively explorative in nature, Erick seems to deconstruct ideology, sound, and boundaries through music. His curious intellect is found throughout his music, which is seasoned with probing questions and steeped in soul.

The multidisciplinary creative first made a name for himself as one third of Flatbush Zombies, a fiercely New York, strikingly psychedelic hip hop trio that tore onto the scene in the 2010s. Embracing the macabre, Flatbush Zombies took inspiration from Stanley Kubrick, the Grateful Dead, and their own experiences with depression.

Though continuing to work with Flatbush Zombies, Erick has branched off into a fruitful solo career in order to explore creative pursuits of his own. His kaleidoscopic taste in art has led him to traverse genres and collaborate with a spectrum of respected artists.

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Erick’s solo career has seen him release several EPs, building anticipation for his anticipated debut album, ‘I’ve Never Been Here Before’ which dropped in February. With themes of fearlessness, Black resilience, beauty in darkness and unity, the 16-track record spans a mix of hip hop, soul, dub, and psych, the record features production by James Blake, Linden Jay, and T Minus, and guest spots from Joey Bada$$, Westside Boogie, George Clinton, Channel Tres, Kimbra, Lalah Hathaway, RÜDE CÅT, Boy Boy, Pale Jay, and FARR.

Exploring his relationship to his Blackness, his art, and his mother’s passing with raw vulnerability and authenticity, Erick journeys boldly into unmapped territory, leaving a trail of firmly solidified steps in his wake.

To mark the release of his debut record, Erick The Architect has constructed a playlist of tracks embodying the spirit of ‘Black Resilience’ and spoken to us about how his debut album reflects the artist he is today.