“This is going to be the first summer of our lives.” One of the most beautiful sentiments in the world. It both means nothing and everything all at once. It sets the tone for the new Bryce Bishop mixtape “Exit” perfectly. Not only is it a great callback to “Spark” (One of my favorite projects in the last 5 years from Ryan Leahan) but it evokes a hopeless optimism as life continues on whether we like it or not. The entire project drips in this ethos. “Exit” provokes an existential response I haven’t felt since my last birthday. This mixtape could score every moment of uncertainty in life and it would end up providing some weird comfort in the in between moments. 

Right after the delicate intro, we get to have a party. That’s nice, thanks Bryce. “Inside Out” borrows an Alexander Panos sample and puts it behind an infectious beat that still somehow makes me want to cry and go for a run at the same time. This electronic aesthetic is shed for the next two songs, bringing us wonderfully to Bryce’s rock leaning sound that I personally adore. As a tangent, Bishop’s voice is magic. The vocal production is so simple and mildly roomy. It makes it sound like he is singing the songs in the studio with us there to bear witness. It’s very intimate.

“Preocupao”, meaning restless, is just awesome. It’s a gorgeous Spanish cut that uses a haunting melody against a great beat to keep you at peace in the unease. The rest of the mixtape echoes this. As we go through the rest, it feels like we’re spiraling down to some sort of acceptance of the loss and change we have to face. “Hollow” and “Just” are huge highlights on the track list that summarize this feeling. A very well used 8485 feature holds a conversation that circles its point of meaningless conversation. The vocals start to overlap and talk over each other, providing this feeling of anxiety that transitions so well into the next song where Bryce sounds like he stepped outside to think alone. 

As the tape ends with “Goober” I’m left really excited for more Bryce Bishop. His music has always been an emotional rock in the scene to me. He finds a way to make music that is both forward thinking and incredibly personal and as he continues to craft his sound, it has only leaned into its melancholy and comfort more. If you are having a tough day, I encourage you to let this project wash over you, it might help. From 2022 to now, The First Summer of Our Lives is still here.