Multi-genre bending artist Vendetta the Vision / Vendetta (Vijay Ramcharitar) unveils his new 10 track project Apparitions. The project is his sophomore album and centers on managing one’s inner demons and tempering intrusive thoughts.  Soundwise, Vendetta employs a host of music styles ranging from rock, funk and hip-hop and seamlessly weaves them into his repertoire.

Throughout the project, Vendetta gives audiences a nuanced and holistic take on his mental health. From dealing with his mortality, family, friends, love and his creative endeavours to therapy and self-healing. He looks at the current state of affairs on the funky “We Gon’ Be Just Fine,” which is an uplifting tune that reminds us of how crazy the world is, but regardless, we will all be alright. His narrative style of storytelling is what makes the tracks compelling and the use of light motifs and relatable references add an extra layer. This is shown on tracks like “Dice Roll” where he talks about taking risks, “Moonlight” is a conceptual track about blossoming love while “Time Zones” sees Vendetta reflecting on a past love and how time has passed and he finds it hard to move on. The title track “Apparitions” is a cinematic piece with lush soul-stirring guitar arrangements with bluesy elements that form the perfect backdrop for Vendetta’s vivid lyricism. He takes listeners deep into the dark crevices of his mind and the mental struggles to find sanity.

I must add,  that Apparitions traverses a lot of topics and gives room for interpretation as listeners get glimpses of what makes Vendetta tick. Songwriting style, he mostly raps with a smooth laidback voice with a tinge of hurt emotions and energy.  For example, “In The Mirror,” dives into deceit and betrayal with lines like “Can’t trust friends, might be enemies/no real love she pretends to be/Through the noise, you hear the voice in my head/he said fuck this world” which underscore his paranoia. Conceptually, Vendetta channels the myth of the werewolf on the love ballad  “Wolf + Moon” featuring singer MirandaLynn. Here we see him as the eponymous lycan who finds true love with that special someone. Lines like “refreshing like a cold brew in the summer time/So refine, she got a beautiful mind, she is always on mine/I’m the wolf and you’re my moon, you’re the song and I’m the tune,” serve as a reminder that mythical creatures need and can find genuine connection too. The final track “Never Going Back” uses electric guitars and rock elements extensively and features singer Wilson Valley whose soulful melodic runs cements the urgency on the track. Once again, Vendetta opens up with lines like”I’m breaking through my limits that’s the way I must ascend/Got some fire in my spirit and my demons are my friends” before finding the strength to set himself free. Another interesting track is the playful “Tango” which breaks the seriousness and dark tone of the project with a lighthearted vibe.

Overall, Apparitions is a brilliant body of work that serves as a snapshot of Vendetta’s life showing the dark patches with a bit of the bright side.