Recently, Bryson Tiller dropped a new single called Inhale and it sounds really great! Inhale is his first single in a while and it definitely reminds of the Bryson Tiller who gave us Trapsoul back in 2015.
Can’t lie though, it’s been a minute since I actually sat down and listened to Bryson Tiller. If I’m being very honest, I think it’s a result of me holding Trapsoul in such high regard, so I’ve always subconsciously found myself comparing every release to it.
I mean can you blame me? Trapsoul is easily one of the best albums I’ve ever heard! As in if I had to list my top 10 albums ever, it would definitely be included. It’s just one of those albums you can listen to repeatedly and not get tired. It’s an album that's aged very well if you ask me. I know it’s not just me who loved that album and has been waiting for a Trapsoul 2.0 since. So, after listening to his recent song, I started to question if we’ll ever get another Trapsoul like how I’ve always hoped for? But now I’ve actually thought about it, I don’t think it will happen, and I think Tiller’s music post-Trapsoul has shown us that.
Trapsoul was successful when it was first released back in 2015 because it was so different at the time. It was an album that combined trap, soul, and R&B all into one. Bryson Tiller did something that hadn’t really been done before, so in a way he kind of pioneered a new genre/style of music. With all this being said, surely seeking another “Trapsoul” would be akin to asking him to break the rules and change the game with a new sound, right? Something that I wouldn’t put past Tiller, because if he’s done it before I’m sure he can do it again. But is it really by force? Or is it a thing where we’re expecting him to give us some sort of deluxe version of Trapsoul?
Either way, I think we’re doing a disservice to ourselves if we’re waiting for another Trapsoul and we’ll become disappointed when we don’t get the same thing. I mean look at the response when he dropped True to Self in 2017. Not that it was a bad album, but it was just unable to live up to the Trapsoul hype, which in retrospect wasn’t entirely fair on Tiller. I’ve always felt that True to Self was nowhere near Trapsoul's level. Don’t get me wrong, there were a few bangers on True to Self, such as Something Tells Me, Run Me Dry and Self Made. But other than those 3, I can’t even remember what other songs were on that album. It was nice to listen to once, but it wasn’t as memorable as Trapsoul. To me, True to Self can’t even sit at the same table at Trapsoul.
So unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever get a Trapsoul 2.0 per se. But after some thought, I don’t think we need one. We may get something similar but not exactly the same, otherwise, how would Bryson demonstrate that he’s grown as an artist?
Nevertheless, Bryson Tiller has promised us a new album which I’m extremely excited for. From the sound of things, he’s taking his time with that one. So, who knows, this new album may just be on par with Trapsoul or even better. Either way, I’m finally excited to hear new music from him again!