“MAY:21-26” by Evan de Roeper

Like pages torn from a weathered journal and folded into melody, May: 21–26 is a quiet storm—soft in its approach, but echoing long after it ends. Evan de Roeper, from the heart of London, bares not just his voice, but years of living, doubting, and growing in this tender six-track EP. Released just after his 27th birthday, the project is a timestamp of a life in slow motion—crafted in solitude, shaped by time, and held together by nothing more than honesty and a blue Yeti mic. These songs carry the hush of midnight thoughts and bedroom walls. Each one is a fragment from the years between 21 and 26, stitched together like a quilt made from dreams, mistakes, and moments of clarity. While the world moved fast, Evan moved inward—chiseling away at old recordings, revisiting former selves, and distilling the best of what he found. What remains is a body of work that feels less like a release and more like a quiet exhale after years of holding your breath.

Production is subtle, almost whispered. Foley textures—everyday sounds caught in passing—add a tactile intimacy, giving these songs the feel of lived-in spaces. The musical world Evan creates is somewhere between haze and heartbeat, blending atmospheric pop with a storyteller’s eye. Though inspired by giants like The Weeknd and Frank Ocean, Evan’s voice doesn’t mimic; it remembers. It recalls what it felt like to be unsure, to be young and reaching, and to finally, gently, let go. Tracks like Howl offer comfort amid uncertainty, while Haste feels like a mirror held up to impatience. Ground Zero is a time capsule, an image of the artist as a younger man, grappling with identity in the blur of adolescence. And King—enigmatic and quietly hauntin, urges listeners to listen—Sayonara takes the score up and captures the beauty within it. Opens with a giggle and background conversation. It leaves space for the listener to wander through their own unanswered endings.

Some songs go beyond mere sound and melody—they carry raw emotion, reaching straight into the hearts of their listeners. That’s exactly what rising artist Evan de Roeper offers. His natural ability to translate feeling into music is unmistakable. Evan closses the Ep in style with Dual. There’s no flash here, no urgency to impress. What Evan offers instead is vulnerability wrapped in patience. May: 21–26 doesn’t shout its arrival; it lets you come close, if you’re willing. These songs are reminders that art doesn’t need grandeur to be grand—it needs truth, time, and the courage to release what once felt too personal to share. Evan de Roeper may be self-made, but May: 21–26 is far from solitary. It’s a companion for late-night listeners, for those navigating their own becoming. And in its quiet, it speaks volumes.

Garcia Penned 🖊️