Earl Sweatshirt has always been a master of concision. Emerging from the rambunctious Odd Future collective, even as a sixteen year old Earl’s lyrical abilities were those of somebody already assured in their craft. His talent for presenting the complex into plainspoken rhymes allows for raps that are packed densely with feeling. His songs can breeze past before you know truly what is meant on first listen, but they always impart Earl’s mood.

Earl transitions between such moments seamlessly

‘Inside,’ from Earl’s sombre 2015 album I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside, is a perfect introductory track to the music of Earl Sweatshirt’s career outside of Odd Future. Running just shy of two minutes, the track is kept short but, in his trademark way, never too sweet. Throughout the track, Earl recaps pivotal moments in his recent life and takes stock of his current settings. Even when reflecting on confusing points in his life, he maintains stunning clarity; such as looking back on his return from boarding school in Samoa (‘Fresh out the belly of the island, into the heart of the city’) and his rapid ascent into rap stardom (‘Got a tape, catch a wave, now you in the industry ocean, missing out on your boat, I’ve been figuring out my own fish). He jumps from these hectic moments forward to his current settings, with a ‘fridge full of spirits in the crib,’ moving from one moment of isolation to the next. Earl transitions between such moments seamlessly, painting an impression of someone young and worn down, cutting off the outside world to recover from a life so busy that it leaves himself behind.

His self-awareness and wisdom are sobering

Towards the end of the track, Earl settles into the present, his tone softening as he laments: ‘Sipping ‘til I melt / Devil trying me, I’m dodging / falling victim to myself / middle finger to the help.’ His self-awareness and wisdom are sobering, even caustic in moments like these. ‘Inside’ is a song that stays true to the album’s title. It finds Earl pacing the room, veering between thoughts and moments from his past, and ends with him sitting down on the couch to ruminate on who he is, and why he’s there.