Fear

If theres a contemporary rap artist that somewhat straddles the line between the heartfelt folk anthems of Mumford & Sons and the hip-hop swagger of Eminem, its Michigans Nathan Feuerstein, aka NF. Its a potent vibe he conjures on his third EP, 2025s FEAR. A direct follow-up to 2023s Hope, the album arrives following a difficult two-year hiatus, during which time NF recuperated from his extensive touring, welcomed his first child, and struggled with mental health issues. He brings all of this to bear on FEAR, an EP that often feels bigger and more emotionally intense than many full-length albums. Working with a close group of production and songwriting collaborators, including Jeff Sojka and Aaron Chafin, NF conjures a deeply introspective sound, setting acoustic folk guitars alongside beat-heavy hip-hop grooves. He evokes the stylistic mash-up from the start on the title track, singing "Hello Darkness my old friend," a direct reference to Simon & Garfunkels "Sounds of Silence" that sets up his battle with OCD. A wave of emotionally candid yet hooky moments follow, including "Home" a poignantly lyrical tribute to his late grandmother, the minor-key mgk collab "Who I Was," and the delicate relationship mea culpa "Sorry." Theres also the pugilistic anthem "Give Me a Reason" and the soulful, gospel-inflected closer "Washed Up," the latter of which finds NF confronting himself with stark honesty, asking, "Am I on the brink of something great, or have I lost it?" With FEAR, NF feels like hes headed towards the best answer to that question. ~ Matt Collar