D.C rapper and neuroscience student mavi's interest in the nature of consciousness has led his music to have an undeniable philosophical undercurrent. The 20 year-old rapper and Earl Sweatshirt collaborator's sound is often rooted in hip-hop production made of jazz samples, however, he's just teamed up with producer Roy Chase and vocalist joony for a single that'll take you back to early 2000's R&B, called 'when i was w/ u [prod. roy chase]'. From the get-go, the track is sexy and sleazy, with a slow, 'Dilemma'-style beat and synth swooshes. jooni's vocals are smooth and catchy, a nice variance to mavi's punchy lines. 'when i was w/ u [prod. roy chase]' shows an intriguing evolution of mavi's sound. -Ellie Rose-Davies