Ruel dropped his new extended-play release, “Free Time” on Sept. 13, and fans are going crazy. The seven-track album reaches 26 minutes, giving the perfect playlist for a long shower. The album goes through many different emotional lyrics, and when compacted with Ruel’s nearly-perfect vocals, creates an amazing experience that the listener will find renewing after every re-listen.

Ruel dropped his debut single “Golden Years” in 2017. Not only was it impressive that he was only 14 years old when the song was released, but that he wrote the song many years prior. After a couple more successful tracks, he released his debut album “Ready” on June 15, 2018, and received loads of support. His album became extremely popular in Australia and New Zealand, peaking at No. 3 on the “New Zealand Music Chart” and No. 76 on the “ARIA Charts.” At only 16 years old, racking up almost one million followers on Instagram, his continued success should offer something to watch.

Track No. 1 Rating – A Hit

The album starts with a track titled “Don’t Cry.” This song does an amazing job of setting the mood for the album, as well as bringing deep lyrics that resemble the personal relationship struggles that Ruel faces. Matched with the amazing production, this song can bring out some emotions in the listener. 

Track No. 2 Rating – A Favorite

“Real Thing” brings a funky beat with a wacky productional style. Providing lyrics, which Ruel wrote himself, about him longing for a real relationship, the words become easy for the listener to relate to. Also accompanied by a music video, “Real Thing” is a song to watch out for.

Track No. 3 Rating – A Miss

“Painkiller,” released as a lead single in early 2019, brings a wonky beat that has the potential to enhance the lyrical content. Sadly, the song fails to do so in a way the listener would expect, however, does not take away the connection that the listener will feel throughout the chorus.

Track No. 4 Rating – A Classic

As the fourth track, “Hard Sometimes” provides a piano-based ballad. Ruel works to attract the listener through the lyrics, which he does very well. He writes about his difficulty finding happiness and how his life can be difficult at specific times.

Track No. 5 Rating – Relatable

“Face to Face” brings lyrics that resemble the difficulty of present-like dating. Writing about his findings of a relationship online, it becomes difficult as he believes that it isn’t real. Ruel expresses his concerns through the lyrics, “I’m in my bed sitting / talking to strangers all day / I wonder / If you would feel the same / One day we’ll meet face to face.”

Track No. 6 Rating – A Must-Listen

“Unsaid” transforms the listener into Ruel’s problems of, what it seems to be, an unhealthy relationship. “All these words left unsaid / I don’t know how it ends,” is what Ruel writes over the piano and guitar ballad.

Track No. 7 Rating – A Bop

The last track, “Free Time” provides a funky, upbeat, experience for his fans. Ruel writes about having too much free time and wishing that he could be around his friends:  “Now I’m alone and lost in my phone / Over all of this free time.”