Arin Ray, who has written hits for icons like Nicki Minaj, Young Thug and John Legend, has just released the third and final part of his EP series on October 20th.
Phases III – The Final Installment
Beginning his trilogy back in 2016, Ray’s Phases I was his first installment of a long-awaited series of R&B tracks. Three years later, he returned to the project with the second part with standout single “Changes,” featuring Kehlani. Finally, in late October, Ray polished off the series with his longest EP of all.
Phases III is an intimate R&B EP that explores Ray’s current mental and emotional state. Being twice as long as the previous installments, it’s a refreshing look into where the singer/songwriter is at in this point of his life. And it’s an exceptional show of growth from 2019 to now. Whereas Part II was released during a difficult time with COVID, Part III shows an evolution in Ray. This third EP is like all the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. And it would be no surprise if this release is what takes Arin Ray from being an underrated artist in the game to soaring to the top of the charts.
Arin Loosens the Reins in “Wait So Long”
With a track like “Wait So Long,” we see a shift in Ray’s artistry. While we know that one of Ray’s strongest traits is found in his songwriting, this single puts the power elsewhere. Aron’s vocals soar in “Wait So Long,” while he is left wondering why his lover would wait to share their true feelings. In this way, the song isn’t far from Ray’s typical themes of love and self-discovery. It’s the production side of the track that is a far cry from Ray’s usual songwriting process:
“There’s not a song I have ever let anybody write and produce for me. This is the only song (“Wait So Long”) I let [someone produce and write for me] with James Fauntleroy. I let him do his thing from scratch – beat and song. The session was crazy bro, I’ve been waiting for that for like 10 years because I studied bro, so I was like, “Hey, you got it.” I ain’t never let nobody do that. It was a great experience, great experience.”
-Arin Ray’s Interview with Uproxx
The trust between Fauntleroy and Ray is clear from the second the track begins. It seamlessly blends into the EP, with a welcome addition of outside influence on Phases III. Continuing the theme of walking the line between love and lust, “Wait So Long” is an excellent single to come from this final EP. Its melodies and relatable lyrics make for a great introductory track into the EP.
Listen to the track and more down below! Let us know what you think of Phases III in the comments.
