Canadian multi-hyphenate, Francis Arevalo, drops first full album in an ode to hip-hop and life. (Review)
Review by: Tyler Hedmann
I’ve always found that the first introduction to a new artist comes with a bit of nervousness (maybe even a touch of apprehension), and when it’s their first album, that increases tenfold. Is production quality there? Is the sound gonna grab me and keep me there? In the case of Francis Arevalo, it seems all the polish and shine is already there, and it’s all about telling the story.
Francis Arevalo’s HEATCHECK! can be best described as mid-2000’s inspired rap album that thematically fuses introspective memoirs and boisterous in-the-moment proclamations that poetically summarize this Filipino-Canadian artist’s past, present, and future. Arevalo takes us on a biographical journey, hitting on his familial roots, his insecurities, his aspirations, and his love of basketball (my favourite part). HEATCHECK!, more than anything, is Arevalo asking his audience to get to know him and his vision.
And the beauty in it is, despite its incredibly personal, close-to-the-heart nature, HEATCHECK!’s best quality is its relatability to the human condition, speaking about confidence, doubt, and family, all while steeping itself in nostalgia and hindsight. Arevalo bares his soul with fire and a complete lack of apology, letting us feel comfortable in following along in those feelings, rather than shying away from them.
While the emotions have a raw quality to them, the lyrical runs and production quality speak to Arevalo’s experience in the industry as a manager and creative. HEATCHECK! offers variety in how it approaches the songs, playing with different intensities and tempos in its tracks, allowing Arevalo to play with his sound and his flow. He slides through tracks like How High and Do You with lullaby-like intros and smooth transitions, while also hitting you with louder, aggressive moments with I Can’t Wait, Back At It, and Get Buckets. The production and flow reminds of Lupe Fiasco (something Arevalo notes himself in Get Buckets), dropping these story-like, nerdy, niche lyrics wrapped up in experimental tracks that switch between grand and stripped down without ever lacking effort.
The only downside to this mix of sounds is that it doesn’t necessarily flow as an album, with some stark jumps in style that can pull you out of the mood, but it makes sense as an experimental first album, so it’s unsurprising and doesn’t take away from the quality of the individual tracks.
Overall, HEATCHECK! is a solid 3.5 out of 5 album, one that tells a story, includes its audience, and shows Arevalo’s potential as an artist. Its niche references may make it more suitable for a specific crowd, and its lack of track-to-track cohesion can hurt it a bit, but there’s fire and poetry and realness in it that make Arevalo someone I’m gonna watch out for in the future.
Favourite Track
Sunrise at Mt. Pleasant
An emotionally-raw track that asks more questions than it answers, this song (likely named after one of Arevalo’s daily sunrise walks) riffs on the fear of trying and the insecurity of the value of effort. In a world where imposter syndrome reigns supreme and failure is rarely tolerated, this therapeutic slam hit me hard.
