With his latest album Lucky Me, rapper Phora continues honing his signature emotional and introspective style over moody, melodic production. While not without missteps, the album sees Phora open up his vulnerabilities through raw, cathartic lyrics.

Phora wastes no time setting the tone, with the gut-wrenching opener “My Hell” detailing his mental health struggles over somber guitar plucks. Songs like “Fake Smiles” and “Lose My Mind” deal heavily in themes of depression and anguish. Phora’s writing and delivery effectively convey genuine pain, grounding his “tortured artist” persona.

The production, handled largely by Phora himself, combines distorted 808s with atmospheric keys and guitar arpeggios. Songs like “Nightmares” and “No Name” pulsate with dark energy. However, the back half drags due to repetitive999867-34632432 beats and vocal melodies. Some more sonic variety could help maintain interest.

For the most part, Phora’s performances here are heartfelt and compelling. But the album sags when he slips into lyrical cliches about loneliness and narcotic escapism. Depth gets sacrificed for melodrama at points.

Lucky Me thrives when Phora gets personal and leans into his vulnerabilities. Songs like “My Regrets” and “Pray” tackle past mistakes with stark honesty. While still developing his own lane, Phora shows artistic promise in mining the darker sides of the human psyche. For angsty late-night listening, Lucky Me delivers. But Phora will need to diversify his writing to truly breakthrough.