Quinn XCII, born Mikael Temrowski, is a solo artist out of Detroit. He combines elements of reggae, hip hop, and electronic beats to create memorable choruses that are usually about failed relationships. However, he disguises his melancholy lyrics with upbeat backing tracks that will be stuck in your head for weeks.

His latest album titled The Story of Us embodies this style perfectly. The tracks on this album all have a chill vibe to them due to Quinn’s reggae influences, making this album perfect to listen to on a long drive, while doing work, or while hanging out with friends. Quinn’s easy going vibey beats will pull you in, but his musicality and use of unique chords and rhythms will keep you listening.

Like I said, his music is unique and his voice easily recognizable. He does not stick to just one style of music. All of the songs on this album are very different, yet they combine together to form one cohesive project. For example, the song “Don’t You” is about the magic of a youthful relationship, while the songs “What the Hell Happened To Us” and “Flare Guns” are about reminiscing and missing an old relationship, yet they sound like they should be part of the same album and they all contribute to the overall theme of a young jubilant life.

Quinn XCII was also able to successfully mix many different styles of music into a single album and make it sound good. The jazzy lick played on a clean electric guitar on “Don’t You”, the electronic counter melody and drum pad beat of “Straightjacket”, and the angry minor lick played by a bassy piano from “Candle” do not seem likely to sound good in the same album, but the overarching laidback feel of all these songs flawlessly connects them.  

The uniqueness and chill vibes of this album make it hard to get tired of and you can always put it on whenever you aren’t sure what you want to listen to. It is an album that fits every mood, but there is one scene in particular that comes to mind when I listen to this album.

To me, this album sounds like a late night hike on top of Mount Tam with your best friends, where your only worry is what song to play next or where you are going exactly. I really enjoy this album as a whole, but my favorite songs are “Straightjacket”, “Flare Guns”, “Don’t You”, and “Always Been You”.

I truly believe that this album has not gotten the recognition and attention it deserves. I like this album a lot and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys “chill” music.