The Best Summer Alternative Friend

Dallas based Chicano artist Esteban Flores has been captivating audiences since his first moments of recognition in 2020. Slow joy, Flores’s nomicoure appearing out of a pandemic project, soon gained a stellar following from his Tik Tok blow up in 2022. Now audiences get to hear Esteban Flores’s first EP, Mi Amigo Slow Joy, a personal introspection into the artist’s emotionally driven masterpiece — battling the grief of his mother passing as well as touching on love, mental illness and simple commentary of life in the 21st century. Furthermore, we see Slow Joy delve into the roots of what makes indie rock and alternative music, building a stellar 14 min repertoire that dives off of the old school garage band and alternative aesthetic.

“4U” marks the beginning of the EP journey, which definitely stirs the familiar indie rock feeling. Its introduction of chilling and breathy vocals elongate amongst its softer undertones. The track begins with a simple guitar riff that soon builds upon itself with single lines or solos. What is remarkable here is the introduction of craftsman layering, a staple mark throughout the album as whole. The breathy vocals entice us toward what is to be known as an emotional piece. However, upon reaching the 1st verse, the harmonics and ambient sound, along with multiple guitar tracks, bring to itself a vibrant musical journey. Carrying through to when the chorus finally kicks in, a sudden drum and chest voice appear, initializing a rising and momentous sound. This leans into a familiar feeling — the emotions of Nirvana or a Pixie tune — catchy in form but significant, almost enough to hide the empowering lyrics: “did you even notice / I broke my back for you.” Finally, the last chorus adds in vocals an octave above and below, building upon what already felt like the peak. The bitter lyrics juxtapose its sweet beginning, introducing what great foundational skill combined with production and musical technique can bring: a hit sound.

“Pulling teeth,” the second track, is the most satisfying release bordering on the emo/alternative plane of lyrical composition. Here the genius of metaphors pop off, as the artist compounds on the idea of pulling teeth to describe his thankfulness toward his wife who stayed with him through difficult times. Verses include: “I paint the world like a cynic lately / I wear you down by the minute / tell me / If I go too far / you’ll still be here / When my head gets dark.” This only further protrudes poeticism with the chorus:  “I bet you’re sick of pullin’ teeth / But hold me down ’til I believe / That I’m okay, that I’m okay.” What is vital is the use of repetition in pulling teeth, specifically the “til I’m okay,” as well as the tracks further line “if I go too far.” What finally cements the tracks memorability is the great guitar licking in between the building breathy tones and the surprising reveal of the vocal skill of Esteban Flores. His screams in the chorus catapults the emotion of the song to the next level, finally cascading into the grand ending chorus after a breath of silence following the second verse.

Through surprising twists of emotion — the third track, “King Cowboy,” breaks this mold.

The downstrokes lead to the lyrics “everything could be alright / if you married me underneath neon lights,” to a final declaration of “I’m the king cowboy.”Here the audience is led into full rock mode. He makes fun of the 21st century lifestyle in a cynical manner, noting the possible tragedy most likely ahead. The guitar bellows with a fun harmonic octave above. Behind every “kids / who hate their lives” is a wonderful scream: “I’m the king!” It’s enough to make the drive home worth the bitterness and despair, as if life falling apart fits the picture like a movie poster. This is further capitalized by the guitar’s emphatic part and the fun riff placed behind. The drums seem reminiscent of the Foo Fighters and early 2000s rock hits. The harmonic tones behind the pre-chorus buildup and the fire of the chorus almost hit into one defining moment, bordering a happy rock tune worthy of headbanging.

“Lay me out, I’m out of my mind,” brings the tonal familiarity of the EP as a whole with a final twist at the end. Almost languid, with a static breach of electronic beats at the entrance, a hazy long tone and crash of guitar evokes imaginative imagery of the singer sinking into water. The drum beats with the soft spoken and repetitive phrases, building a haze and stumbling emotion mimicking oblivion. The guitar rings in high contrast to the chorus, which encompasses and guides the mind into a different head space.

Further building off of Esteban Flores’s first inspiration — space rock — the sound takes control, catalyzing when he finally declares, “I’m out of my mind.” The ringing of the guitar only adds to his high vocals in the background. The contrast in sound and genre mastery is spectacular in building the polarity of introspection and the EP itself. It relates to what one band can do with just some guitars and drums. It builds off the expertise of solid production and sound quality, a new wave hits the audience, as they too, drown at the end. Here, “lay me out” again, builds off this hazy tone, leading the EP into the deluge of feeling.

Overall, Mi Amigo Slow Joy consists of diverse and wonderful tracks that mix genres, epitomize guitar and exert vocal expression. The layering and musical composition demonstrates the mastery of the artist. For what the band holds, using guitar, lyrics and vocals to their highest, can only be progressed by the understanding of style and mode. Hopefully, the audience can hear more of this Dallas based artist, as he truly makes music from a place of passion.