The Philly music scene knows AJAY as a talented guitarist with a smooth falsetto. He’s collaborated with a number of other prominent acts (Orion Sun, Tuck Ryan, Jonill, Ryan Gilfilian), and this particular solo release has been in the works since the early pandemic days, so you can imagine AJAY was excited to release it and familiar fans and collaborators were excited to hear it.

The overall vibe of the album is a comfortable pace, soothing, and a tidbit trippy. You’ll recognize from track one, “67six,” that These Yesterdays is not an album to make any assumptions about. The bread and butter of the album is its soft, welcoming tone, but dig your ears in and you’ll feel its depth.

Some of the songs make you think AJAY is floating on that lake he’s sitting in front of, others feel like he’s drowning (not in a bad way musically speaking, but in a more intense personal manner).

i.e. It’s still a fly white guy on a guitar, but it’s much closer to a Tame Impala trip than a John Mayer record — “Swindlers” being a good example of that.

At 8 songs / 21 minutes long, it’s in between a fully flushed LP and an EP, but, given the work log and cohesiveness, it’s clearly a finely selected collection. The whole album flows, at times like an adventurous mushroom ride, other times like a very comfortable, wavy water bed. Personally, I’ve enjoyed the album as a late-night bite. The title track is probably my favorite.

Check out AJAY wherever you get music and on Instagram: @AJAY.music