Review: Brent Faiyaz "Icon"
- zaydgavino
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
2026 has become the year of reemergence for multiple artists. Albums from A$AP Rocky, J. Cole, and Bruno Mars have marked the music scene as one where long-awaited releases are finally arriving. Continuing that trend is Brent Faiyaz with Icon, a 10-track project that deviates from his typical charismatic, intoxicating persona and instead serves as his first real attempt at tackling the subject of romance. Faiyaz delivered on this aspect, creating a cohesive album that sees him diving back into the sounds of the 80s while finally exploring a theme fans have long wanted from him. Though brief, the album is concise in its message, offering no hidden meanings or overcomplicated interpretations—which, for this first attempt, works in its favor. While some may view the project as a low-effort expression, I see it instead as an introduction to another side of Faiyaz that listeners have yet to fully explore.
The album begins with “white noise,” a purely instrumental track built around harmonic string quartets that establishes the project’s atmosphere within its opening moments. Notably, this marks one of Brent Faiyaz’s first attempts at an instrumental introduction, creating an immediate sense of surprise that aligns with the album’s broader spirit of experimentation. This transitions into the first lyrical track, “wrong faces,” which appears to reflect on Brent’s familiar subject matter. The opening harmonies declare, “You’ve been looking for love / In all the wrong, the wrong places,” setting the tone for either a moment of self-reflection or commentary directed at someone else’s romantic ambitions. The album continues to revisit this theme across its tracklist, creating a cohesive and consistent motif throughout the project.
While this project stands out within Faiyaz’s discography because of its new focus on genuine romantic pursuits, I also feel that, despite moving in the right direction, it lacks some of the clever, tongue-in-cheek lyricism listeners have come to expect from him. The writing feels noticeably softer here, which ultimately complements the album’s atmosphere. The R&B flows are still fully intact, particularly on tracks like “four seasons.” and “have to.” Elsewhere, the project’s 1980s influence comes through clearly, especially on “other side.” and “pure fantasy.” Vocally, Brent remains as strong as ever—which is rarely in doubt—as he croons and harmonizes beautifully throughout the entire record.
"Is this a safe space for me? (Mm)/To lead with honesty? (Yeah)/To show this part of me? (That nobody sees)"
Production is where this album truly shines, with Brent Faiyaz embracing a noticeable sense of experimentation. Only two or three tracks feel like they could have been lifted from his earlier projects. The rest of the album draws clear inspiration from vintage Michael Jackson records, most evident on “other side.” and “pure fantasy.” The latter carries the atmosphere of a song meant for a sold-out arena, complete with crowd noise. While “pure fantasy.” is not my personal favorite, and at times feels a bit cheesy, love itself can often be cheesy, so the sentiment fits. More importantly, I respect the effort to pay homage to the roots of 1980s production and stylization, something that has become increasingly common in modern R&B through artists like The Weeknd and Tory Lanez. That said, some tracks feel slightly flat in their replication of that era and do not stand out as strongly as the songs that balance those influences with the signature style listeners typically associate with Brent.
"Maybe it's a little bit rushed, but I'm falling in love/Hope that's not too much but, this isn't a crush/I've done that enough, girl, I know that it's real"
Personally, my top two tracks are “butterflies.” and “four seasons.” with “butterflies.” feeling closest to the sound of Brent Faiyaz’s earlier work, particularly Wasteland. The intro builds through a soft chorus of layered vocals before dropping into a lush, pad-driven synth instrumental that Brent glides over effortlessly. His vocal performance here is arguably the strongest on the album, and listeners seem to agree. By numbers alone, it stands as the project’s biggest track, with over 40 million streams on Spotify. The other standout, “four seasons.” sees Brent continuing the seasonal motif present in songs like “Rehab (Winter in Paris)” and “Fuck the World (Summer in London).” Cleverly, and likely intentionally, he brings all four seasons together this time, delivering one of the album’s strongest moments.
Addressing a romantic partner with loyalty and patience, he sings:
“Some days you're hot as July / Sometimes you're cold as the wintertime / But no matter the weather... I'm here 365.”
On top of that, the track is the only one on the album to feature one of Brent’s signature touches: a slowed and pitch-shifted vocal section. That detail places it stylistically in line with songs from his 2020 project Fuck the World, making it feel like a bridge between his older sound and this new direction.
This album truly combines what we've seen from both Brent and his other projects on Sonder, which encompass a more vulnerable side to the "toxic enigma" that was Brent Faiyaz. Here, Brent leans further into that vulnerability, using romance as the vehicle for a new stage of self-expression. As such, this album feels refreshing, like a new starting point towards an evolution that fans have been waiting for. I’d love to see Brent continue pushing in this direction while still incorporating the moody confidence and charisma that have long defined his music. Icon is more laid-back and presents him in a quieter, more restrained light, which works well as an introduction to this shift. Still, it feels less like a final destination and more like the first chapter of something larger. If Brent expands on these ideas in future releases, he could unlock one of the most compelling phases of his career. Overall, enjoy the pop-infused elements, and fall in love again with the sound and charisma of Brent Faiyaz’s Icon.
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