Wet’s debut release is largely a re-release of the EP they dropped last summer with a few new songs attached to it. And while those original songs might be the strongest, Wet sounds like they’re on the precipice of the future of R&B.
The band tries to avoid being locked down as R&B, saying they’d prefer to be called pop. And with all the synths and beats overtop of their music, along with the generous production value of the record, it sounds like that category might be a better fit for them anyway.
But despite the polish of the record, Wet still remains incredibly raw emotionally. These songs are intimate in a way that pop records actively avoid: singer Kelly Zutrau invites the listener into a world of heartbreak for the entire runtime. Each song is about what sounds like one horrible relationship, leading Clash Music to thank the man who broke her heart.
And it’s true that Wet may have just released the definitive breakup record, but for those of us who aren’t going through an emotionally scarring loss or heartbreak, it might be a bit much for many of us. And Wet’s biggest downfall is that they don’t have any upbeat songs that are a little more, well, radio-friendly.
Despite that fatal flaw, though, Wet is an interesting record for its level of candidness. It’s rare that a record captures an artist at this vulnerable of a moment, and it will prove to be an interesting time capsule when Wet produces a (hopefully more diverse) sophomore follow-up.