Throughout his young career, St. Louis rapper Smino has curated a distinct sound that blends soul, rap and R&B into a laid-back style, evident in both his records and live performances.

On Friday, Smino released Maybe in Nirvana, a 10-song album that grapples with painful losses through vulnerable and honest undertones.

Smino has been a fixture in the music scene for years, with his 2022 album Luv 4 Rent featuring hits like “No L’s” and “90 Proof” while showcasing guest appearances from J. Cole and Lil Uzi Vert. His growing popularity even brought him to the University of Maryland’s Art Attack last spring, where he performed for a student crowd.

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For this latest project, he skipped a heavy rollout —  releasing no singles beforehand and announcing the project only a few days in advance, likely to encourage it to be a singular, collective listen.

The neo-soul rapper wrote the album entirely during the pandemic, channeling a focused and  introspective presence in his lyrics, melodies and psychedelic production.

The opening song after the intro, “Dear Fren,” is a soft track featuring a high-pitched, staccato vocal delivery over atmospheric background production and vocals. In the chorus, Smino reflects on change while addressing a friend in a personal, vulnerable way unique to the album: “Dear friend, it’s different now.”

The titular “Maybe in Nirvana,” is a bold instrumental departure from the first two tracks. A heavy bass drum pushes through the vibrant chord changes, adding a certain strength to accompany Smino’s ranging vocal performance. His voice is separated into different pockets of sound, giving the impression of multiple singers, before a beat switch transforms the back half into an entirely different style.

As the album moves forward it quickly becomes apparent that Smino’s voice is what catapults each track forward in a unique direction. On “Lee,” for instance, the production remains repetitive in the context of the album. But as his delivery shifts from mumbling, to quick rapping, to high-pitched, bluesy, autotuned choruses, the song rapidly evolves.

“Tequan,” featuring Ravyn Lenae, adds a reggae twist to complement his performance with a leading, jumpy bass line.

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“Ms. Joyce” stands out as a high point on the album, showcasing Smino’s rapping alongside dynamic production and a no-holds-barred feature from Bun B. The veteran rapper’s deep, classic rap voice adds a distinct and satisfying addition to the track.

The album’s most sonically interesting moment fittingly comes with a Thundercat feature on “Hoe-nouns.” Dancy, almost Latin percussion is complemented by a funky jazz and bass combination. Smino also employs a chorus in his signature style of high-pitched bluesiness.

Still, the artist’s voice often gets clouded by the ever-shifting nature of his instrumentals and flow, which can make his lyrical storytelling hard to follow. Listening takes intent, but the album is generally worthwhile.

Lurking underneath the modern soul instrumentals — which often feel improvised — are deeply personal, introspective lyrics. “Dear Fren,” for example, was written for Smino’s grandmother and cousin, who have both passed away.

While the album’s vulnerability is a strength, its power is hidden underneath a stylistically messy project. Smino himself admitted he was indecisive about releasing the project, and the result feels more experimental than polished.

The neo-psychedelic, entrancing backgrounds on each song become more tired than pleasing after a bit. Smino’s variance in delivery makes his lines hard to follow, though they do succeed in keeping the listener on their toes.

With Maybe in Nirvana, Smino doesn’t stray far from the trademark style he perfected on Luv 4 Rent. Though not fully cohesive, he succeeds in creating an enjoyable listen.