At first listen I would have automatically said this is an album that covers a variety of heartbreaks. At another pass, my first observation still rings true but I realized each song is a journey. This isn’t the lyrics of the typical loss of a significant other but a tour of the roads damaged by life. A book of what challenges us, tears us down, and pieces us back together. The music is broad and deep. Songs like If Only and Before You Go should come with a bottle of wine and fire. So High is something you take with you while driving the canyons with the sunroof open. Maniac demands a dance floor. A beautifully composed album.

Genre: Dark Pop / Singer-Songwriter Listen on: Apple Music In a musical landscape often cluttered with overproduction, Micah (aka MicahMusik) returns with Before The Silence, a project that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a confessional booth. If his previous work was about killing the lights, this album is about what happens when you’re finally sitting in the dark, forced to confront yourself. The production here walks a tightrope between atmospheric acoustic textures and the moody, polished edges of dark pop. It doesn’t shout; it whispers, pulling the listener in close. But the real instrument here is the emotional transparency. Micah has crafted a "Hero’s Journey" of sorts, but one that focuses on the valley rather than the mountain top. The Highlights Early in the album, "Before You Go" (the second track) establishes the emotional stakes. It’s airy and deceptively beautiful, masking a deep, relatable ache. Micah captures that specific masochism of heartbreak—the way we sometimes want to feel the pain just to know it was real. The energy shifts with "Mistake," a track that trades airiness for grit. It is a hard look in the mirror, acknowledging fault without crumbling under the weight of it. It’s the sound of accountability, serving as a necessary anchor in the album's middle section. However, the emotional centerpiece is arguably "Devil & God." Here, the struggle stops, and the surrender begins. The lyrics reveal a release of control that feels spiritual, not defeatist. This surrender paves the runway for "So High," a track that finally allows the tension to break. It soars with emotional abandon, offering a sonic release that feels earned after the vulnerability of the earlier tracks. The Verdict The album closes with "Exit," a masterful finale. It doesn’t end with a parade, but with a quiet resolve. It feels like the moment in a film just before the hero turns the corner toward triumph—a cliffhanger that leaves you in silence, exactly as the title promised. Before The Silence is a brave, cohesive record for anyone willing to sit with their own thoughts. It is a soundtrack for the late-night drive and the quiet realization that the only way out is through.