Drawing us in with a down pitched “ooh baby”, followed by a captivating timbre and self-realized, yet zesty prose about life, love and human connection, Paulo and the Problems open First of the Month with charm, poetic prowess and an invigorating sense of optimism.
The production is flawless – literally masterful. We appreciate the genre expansive nature of the soundscape, the vocal design is incredible, and the good humour that manifests from the lyricism invites us to escape with the creators.
As for the message, First of the Month taps into various themes, but the overarching take out is eating with their muse on the first of the month. The imagery is vivid and relatable considering how many of us experience more financial freedom to indulge after pay day. Fans of early Kendrick Lamar would be able to connect with Paulo and the Problems and the realness that the project is serving.
We learn that the track, which also features Fogwood Records labelmate Saynave, is the lead single from Stupid Sexy Paulo, the upcoming album by Paulo and the Problems, out July 11. The star is also known as Paulo Ward – a producer, DJ, composer, multi-instrumentalist, mixing and mastering engineer, and leader of the Fogwood Records House Band!
The song is accompanied by an animated music video starring the band’s dog mascot, Nico, who appears throughout the rollout in a series of nostalgic cartoon visuals. We love the authenticity that manifests with this release, including the fact that the song came out on the first of the month!
We are excited to hear the entirety of the album, and in the meantime, we have added First of the Month to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream Paulo and the Problems‘ wider discography, including Vote For Me, and Ride With Me.