Omar Apollo hasn’t released new music since February of this year. The hiatus has finally come to a close with “3 Boys”. The first new single Apollo shared since his critically acclaimed debut album, Ivory. Over the weekend, he gave fans a taste of what he’s been working on. After opening up for SZA on her S.O.S tour, Apollo would periodically post pictures and snippets in the studio. Since then, anticipation grew amongst fans as when to expect new music. On Friday, Apollo dropped “Ice Slippin,” the lead single from his brand-new EP, LIVE FOR ME out October 6th.
Don’t Slip
At the start of release week, Apollo took to social media to post a picture of a wet floor sign with the date August 21st. Underneath the sign were addresses in Los Angeles, New York, and London with specific times for each location. On the 21st, Apollo had ice sculptures of himself displayed. He later then joked on social media about his ice sculpture melting.
but is the song fire?
The song starts with a soft piano introduction accompanied by Omar’s smooth voice. Shortly after, a heavy drum beat takes the song into a new direction, intensifying the melancholic tone. Each word demands to be heard, and the production does just that. The way Omar’s crisp vocals are layered and produced subtly remind me of Bon Iver’s 22 A Million. Omar finishes the track with static sounding vocals fading out the song. Lyrically the song is as heartbreaking and dramatic as it sounds. Apollo delivers a lovely vocal performance as usual, but on this track get to hear him sing in his lower register. “Ice Slippin” is a beautiful tragedy capturing the feeling of heartbreak.
The One That Got Away
Are you wondering who this song is about? After Apollo’s song, “Evergreen” went viral in 2022, fans speculated that it was about his alleged relationship with singer Frank Ocean. While neither Apollo or Ocean confirmed a romantic relationship, several fans on the internet made a compelling case that they dated. With intimate lyrics like, “If I take back my words, would you return?” it is hard to assume Apollo’s new track is not about a previous partner. When announced the EP, Apollo made it a point to acknowledge how personal the project is. Who do you think the song is about?
“4 songs that I hold very close to me.”
Omar Apollo
Waiting for October
Omar Apollo still has a few tricks up his sleeve while we wait to hear the rest of the EP. This week Apollo plans to release the music video for his new song. He has also released new merch on his website in celebration of the EP. What are your thoughts on “Ice Slippin?” Do you think Omar will give us another song before the entire project is out?
