Song Review - “Phone Alone” by Donte Thomas, YTC, Finlay and iLoveMakonnen

Artists Finlay, Donte Thomas, and YTC's latest song, “Phone Alone,” is a smooth ride simmering with a diffused yet flirty energy that finds space to blur the lines between new-age hip-hop, where flow and lyrical depth take a backseat to the emotional grasp of the message conveyed. However, it is not, by definition, R&B either. A testament to modern genre-bending, but it feels right at home for the artists, who find an assist from the ever-evolving sing-song-y iLoveMakonnen.

Production-wise, “Phone Alone” has the atmosphere of a sun-roof drive after a summer night’s shenanigans, where you know a memory was made. Between the stomping drums, the bouncing near-distorted synths, or the groovy bassline, the environment is the beauty of seeing friends and giving you that rare boost of participating in social interactions. 

While the production offers a social interaction feel, the lyrics themselves are anything but, offering the open thoughts of a bleeding-heart lover simply wanting to know, “Can I Call You?” Perhaps we have all been there, simply wanting to hear the voice of our current (or almost former) lover to feel something, if not anything related to that person. The song crafts this message and, most importantly, never gets lost in the delivery, successfully mastering a song that’s equally love-struck and, dare we say, a vibe?

The beauty of “Phone Alone” is that it captures a mood everyone can resonate with: stubborn infatuation, a lasting emotion where a lack of response means a double-text is in order. The song, if you have it playing in the background, helps set the mood for spending time with those closest to you. If you pay too close attention to the lyrics, it could very well lead to you drunk dialing your favorite ex with confidence that they’ll respond in your favor. But overall, aren’t both of those wins?