While Metro Boomin is now-famous for his meme-fied producer drop and for being Future’s go-to hitmaker, the producer is also a bonafide sound designer with a unique ear for textures and melody. DS2 and Savage Mode remain his greatest showcases, filled with eerie drones, clattering keys, and his method of letting 808s and kick drums interlock for that signature rolling groove. Metro dropped a new instrumental as part of the Adult Swim Singles Series called “Forever Young,” and the song exemplifies all these elements working in evocative harmony.
At the start, Memento-esque synth pads give way to the creeping, gothic main motif. The piece is much slower than Metro’s usual beats, which if anything intensifies its latent dread more than the absence of a rapper does. Subtle, evolving touches like bells and crunchy breakbeats add a sense of progression and movements. Let’s wait for the Soundcloud freestyles to show up and either add or detract from it, but for now listen to “Forever Young” here.
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Phil has used music production software once or twice. He’s on Twitter.
