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Erick the Architect, the celebrated solo artist and founding member of influential Brooklyn rap trio Flatbush Zombies, announces his surprise three-song EP ARCSTRUMENTALS 3, with the full project set for release next Friday May 16. The EP finds Erick exploring a fresh, R&B-heavy dance and DJ sound, inspired by recent collaborations with JUNGLE and L’Imperatrice, as well as his love for artists like James Blake.
The lead single, “REVIVAL” featuring Joyce Wrice, will also be released on May 13. The track blends the warmth of gospel with modern R&B, capturing the longing for change while celebrating the special qualities of a loved one. Erick describes it as a song about “longing for a change, while reminding your significant other of the things that make them special.”
ARCSTRUMENTALS 3 was crafted over the past year in Erick’s Los Angeles studio, building on the sonic explorations of his acclaimed 2024 debut solo album I’ve Never Been Here Before and its deluxe edition, which earned praise from Rolling Stone (“a winding, perilous and deeply personal body of work”), The Fader, Stereogum, Hypebeast, SPIN, NY Times, Consequence, Billboard and more. With this latest EP, Erick leans further into the dance space, crafting uplifting, feel-good tracks designed to get listeners on their feet, blending live instrumentation with dynamic production for a fresh, boundary-pushing sound.
Says Erick: “REVIVAL is a song about longing for a change, while reminding your significant other of the things that make them special. I leaned a bit on gospel because: although it’s secular at its core, the devout love for someone/something you can’t physically see can appear in other ways. I feel like that’s what love is.” On the full project, he adds: “As the third release of ARCSTRUMENTALS, I decided to release (3) records that are resemblant of the music I’ve been playing most recently. I was searching for a way to be uplifted and reminded that it’s okay to smile and enjoy yourself. In typical ARCSTRUMENTALS fashion, I’ve landed on a concept and produced these songs as an introduction to a style of music I’ve always loved. The songs feature a myriad of live instruments and force you to get up on your feet!”
This is Erick’s first music to be released in 2025, following a prolific 2024 in which he released the 16-track I’ve Never Been Here Before as well as an expanded deluxe version of the record with four additional tracks at the end of the year. The project was deemed “a winding, perilous and deeply personal body of work that celebrates [Erick’s] mastery as both a storyteller and conductor of his own authentic sound” by Rolling Stone, and earned praise from The Fader, Stereogum, Hypebeast, SPIN, the NY Times, Consequence, Billboard and beyond. The album features Joey Bada$$, Westside Boogie, George Clinton, Channel Tres, Kimbra, Lalah Hathaway, RUDE CAT, Boy Boy, Pale Jay and FARR, with production from James Blake, Linden Jay and T Minus. Erick toured across the U.S. and internationally last year with his band; watch them perform on KEXP.
Erick first introduced his ARCSTRUMENTALS series in 2015, and released a second volume in 2018 – freewheeling, exploratory collections of beats and studio work that he has revived in 2025 with a new sonic direction in ARCSTRUMENTALS 3.
Erick will also perform at Wonderfront Festival in San Diego on the EP’s release day, May 16.
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