ALBUM REVIEW: MISSIO – ‘I Am Cinco’

Throughout 2023, Texas-based duo MISSIO went on an extremely prolific run. Following up their highly-praised 2022 LP ‘VILLAIN’, the pair knocked out a flurry of passionate and dynamic EPs, titled ‘I Am Sad’, ‘I Am High’, ‘I Am Awesome’, ‘I Am Angry’, and ‘I Am Crazy’. The result was this weirdly creative period in their tenure that saw them break down the conventions surrounding their sound, and exploring something far more adventurous. Now they look to bring all these creativity under one roof on their latest studio album ‘I Am Cinco’.

At an astounding 26 tracks in length, ‘I Am Cinco’ is certainly not a casual listen. With each new offering, MISSIO look to highlight the diverse appeal of their previous EPs, venturing down a broader and more emotionally-charged avenue as often as possible. While the juxtaposition of having so many conflicting aesthetics as part of one album can sometimes create a disjointed listen, ‘I Am Cinco’ moves so effortlessly throughout its tracklisting, the result is this ever-expanding and growing experience that almost feels like a grand pop-opera in places.

While last year was certainly a busy period for them, the resulting creation has certainly been worth the effort and energy. ‘I Am Cinco’ not only builds upon their immersive direction over the years, but sees them enter the next phase within their musical evolution as well.

MISSIO’s ‘I Am Cinco’ will be available to stream from the 3rd May.