Sybyr, also known as Landfill when he produces, and formerly known as Syringe, is a rapper, singer and producer from Maryland with a cult following due to his music being a source of comfort for people with mental illnesses. His 2016 albums “HELLHORSE” and “Anti-World,” namely the latter, pioneered the trap metal subgenre.
However, he has since fallen into mediocrity with many half-baked projects with generic trap beats. Sybyr is at his best when he experiments, especially as a singer, but he does what he wants and expresses himself boldly without a care in the world, it seems. “Universal Laws of Shame” demonstrates his creative freedom in a pretty annoying way.
When listening to his works, it is often the case that there are a few diamonds in the rough. As such, I will only cover the highlights and ignore the many mediocre tracks this album has.
“Laws of Shame (Intro)” is an introspective opener with an instrument similar to a kalimba and a reversed stringed sound. He asks, “How’d the fuck did I get here if I’m surely anti-social?” and “I’m the North of the South and the East to the West, I don’t even fit the picture, I’m a whole damn mess” which is relatable as a Guyanese descendant. Guyana isn’t a Hispanic country, so people don’t consider Guyana to be Latine although it’s a part of Latin America. Failing to fit in is a common theme in some of Sybyr’s music, but he boldly established a trend in the underground rap scene and made a name for himself.
“Warehouse” is a hedonistic earworm of a song produced by Landfill about a party with women of the goth subculture and getting promiscuous. There’s a slightly off-kilter but stylistically rich reverb-drenched feature by Siouxxie Sixxsta, creator of the 2021 EP “witchpop.” The synths are the cornerstone of this infectious song.
“Aura Shine” is an ominous-sounding bass-heavy song about Sybyr doting over a lone woman at a party and trying to get with her. It’s pretty creepy.
“Hope You Ain’t Forget” is for the fans of the old Sybyr, as he used to refrain from screaming after the name change, but he broke his oath to release his violent rage for somebody else through music. The beat for this song is similar to fellow influential underground rapper SICKBOYRARI’s “Flash Out (Free C Murder),” especially with the lead guitar.
Sybyr singing “I’ll kill you in Jesus’ name” is reminiscent of the old Sybyr in the worst ways. A mature Sybyr can make something truly beautiful, but this is like a relapse into maladaptive ideology. Still, it’s enthralling.
“No, It’s Not You It’s Me” is reminiscent of Sybyr’s “The Mill” with the production quality and his singing. The bass is mixed weirdly, poking out while the synth lead is a bit buried. Guardin’s feature fits well with the beat and is a good parallel to the singing.
“Anti-American N****z” is Sybyr’s interpretation of the trend of using the off-kilter stream-of-consciousness-seeming flow of fellow influential underground rapper RXKNephew. The song functions as a hate message for Americans, who can never be “cordial” according to him, an American. “I might start a motherfuckin’ war with this one,” Sybyr says before starting his verse where he disses former American president Barack Obama for advancing gay rights. The beat sounds like something that could be made in 15 minutes on FL Studio with its sporadic claps.
“Livelihood” is as gothic as Sybyr gets. The gloomy yet somewhat energetic production and the quirky vocals are cool, and I respect Sybyr trying something new, but this is an example of an experiment not being too fruitful.
“Bad Habits” is super annoying. From the attempt of an earworm on the hook to the chorus sample and the generic trap percussion, this isn’t it. The guitar on “Different Everything Tho” is reminiscent of semi-mainstream alternative rapper BONES’ song “IThinkIWillBeOk.”
“B.P.O.M.L” has a great beat with electronic stylings. The hedonistic and materialistic lyrics about trying to have the best party ever are certainly like him, especially considering the other songs about attending parties.
The hi-hats on “Forever Rookie” are mixed horrendously; they’re so buried in the synths. Nonetheless, this song is a testament to Sybyr’s dedication to experimentation and making whatever he wants to. He also flexes about being broke in this song.
“To Miss Lady” is Sybyr’s way of introducing himself to a woman, saying that he makes music and that he doesn’t have a job.
“Last Time Playing Fair” sees the return of the introspective Sybyr from the intro. “I want to change my life, I want to change my circumstances,” he sings. The desolate-sounding guitar sets the mood for the reflection well. He said he doesn’t trust women and then a long bleep plays over his voice censoring what he said.
The closer, “Better Luck,” sounds similar to “Dreamworld” by infamous underground rapper Thaiboy Digital at the beginning with the piano and trap percussion. When the synths come in, it also reminds me of Bladee, another infamous rapper and singer. Eric North’s vocal contributions are great. Sybyr’s lyric “Life is like a puzzle, gotta keep my piece/peace” is brilliant, and his vocals are some of the best on the album.
“Universal Laws of Shame” is a hot mess. It’s disappointing because the introspectiveness is there in some tracks, but the mediocrity of hedonism, materialism and bigotry paired with generic trap beats with not too much going on is boring and overdone. Sybyr has the potential for brilliance in his current style as we’ve seen with “Anti-World II” and “Reflections Before Daybreak,” but this isn’t it. It’s his life, though, and he certainly doesn’t care about a college student’s opinion of his art. I still reserve the right to be disappointed, nonetheless.
Rating: 2/5