After a rapid rise to fame on the strength of his vulnerably honest lyrics and brooding mix of emo and rap, Lil Peep died of an accidental drug overdose just weeks after the release of his debut studio album, 2017's Come Over When You're Sober, Pt.

1.

Just 21 and at the height of his powers at the time of his death, the rapper's untimely passing felt at once sadly prophesied and tragically premature for a promising young artist with so much yet to accomplish.

At the core of Peep's art was a fearless portrayal of his troubles with mental health, drug addiction, and emotional pain.

Although bleak, Peep's approach never felt exaggerated or showy, it was simply an account of a harrowing and often hopeless struggle.

The gravity of his music became all the more emblazoned by his death, a topic he pondered often in song.

Endlessly prolific, the 11 songs here are culled from a vault of material not released during Peep's lifetime, and skew even darker than the already desperate moods that made up Come Over, Pt.

1.

While that predecessor put more stock in commercial appeal, the sequel feels decidedly absent of those concerns, more anguished and all the more haunting in its posthumous nature.

After a sluggish start, the vibe of the collection starts to take shape on "Run Away," where a dour chorus finds Peep decrying fake friends and looking for solace in pain pills and isolation.

From there almost every song is built around references to despair, hollow sex, drugs, death, and the kind of torments that eventually brought Peep's life to an all-too-real end.

Standout track "Cry Alone" finds him deep in a haze of drugs and frustration, ranting about hating the rich kids in his hometown over a grunge chord progression updated with trap rhythms.

"Leanin'" addresses suicidal impulses and "16 Lines" calls out from deep within depression in a plainspoken voice aiming to simply chronicle a difficult mental state.

Similarly, "Life Is Beautiful" lays out a series of hardships ranging from cancer to police brutality with a deadpan melody and the assurance that "I know it hurts sometimes but it's beautiful." Only the less impressive closing song "Fingers" sounds primed for mass appeal with traditional hooks.

More compelling are the moments that showcase Lil Peep's unique relationship with self-expression and self-destruction.

His delivery, lyrical choices, and sincere examination of difficult feelings seemed curious when he was alive, but take on a profound significance in the pallid wake of his death.