Solace & The Vices

Album ∙ Hip-Hop/Rap ∙ 2025

Bryson Tiller

With Bryson Tiller’s 2024 self-titled LP, the Louisville crooner crafted a genre-bending departure from his comfort zone, experimenting with the soundscapes of dancehall, drill, and pop next to his signature mixture of hip-hop and R&B. Tiller fully embraced himself and where he was at within his artistry, so much so that he decided to take a hiatus from music after its release to pursue his passion for video game design. Released as the first installment of the double album, The Vices, Tiller lets go of shortcomings and starts a new chapter of his ever-evolving sound.

As he does across the majority of his discography, the singer-songwriter toes the line between singing and rapping; however, on The Vices he leans less into the moody trap-soul tracks that defined his career and launched him into superstardom. Instead, he dives deeper into the rap-heavy side of his musicality, delivering sharp flows and gritty, energetic bars over dynamic productions from Charlie Heat, Gravez, Teddy Walton, and Hitmaka.

Tiller is unapologetic as he revels in his impulsive nature, waxing poetic as he brags about his lifestyle (“First Place,” “200 Bands,” “Make Life Easy”) while navigating the ups and downs of his situationships (“No Sharing,” “More Than Money,” “Last Call”), and even contemplates letting go of his player ways (“Burnout”). Tiller isn’t alone as he ventures through partying and romance. He gets some help from Bossman Dlow, Rick Rock, Piles, T-Pain, BabyDrill, Luh Tyler, and Bun B, who are along for the ride.

On the closing track “Finished,” Tiller addresses his naysayers and critics who doubt his ability to surpass his 2015 debut album T R A P S O U L. His resilience in the face of criticism is evident as he confidently asserts: “I’ll be done with this shit when I’m done/I ain’t lookin’ for the number one /Just money and the shit keep comin’/Kept goin’, kept wrist V or nothin’/Ain’t fallin’ off, bitch, you funny.”