The last time we dropped the name Jelani Aryeh on TMR was in our List Pick of ‘Kodachrome’ from collective Raised By The Internet. During the past year, this promising young talent has been stepping up to the plate for a series of alternative hip-hop tracks, the latest being ‘Patagonia’. As Jelani said on Twitter, “anytime i feel like i’m losing sight of self or why i create, this instantly grounds me and reminds me of all the things that make me who i am and ultimately who i do this for.” Peppered throughout the chunky, bouncing beats of ‘Patagonia’ are such reminders of his core, whether that’s close collaborator Toro Y Moi, his Phillipino and Africian-American identity, his family out in L.A., even nostalgic yearning for Nintendo DS Lite or driving a Lexus. These are all things that make up an individual, and in turn that colours the music. Jelani Aryeh wears his heart on his sleeve throughout ‘Patagonia’. - Hannah Thacker