By Michael Guarino

In his song “Shake,” Trip Carter claims, “Most girls call me cocky.” That’s a sentiment he’s seemed to latch onto in his July 28 release, the boisterous and boastful “Ego Trip.” Following up his 2018 album, Mirage, and a series of 2020 singles including “Unspun” and “Fashun,” “Ego Trip” further develops Carter’s signature mix of hip-hop beats with funk- and jazz-inspired harmonies. The single is anchored by Carter’s bouncy self-presentation in the choruses, where he shows off how good his lover is to him. He’s not the only one aware of that fact, though: “She knows, she knows, she knows,” Carter sings measuredly, adding a layer of depth and reservation to an otherwise lighthearted song. The contrast between the song’s sonic landscape and lyrical portrait is striking. Sparkly synths, colorful guitar chords, and a booming bass line clash with Carter’s hushed singing voice, which is establishing a vivid and dynamic mental image of minute interactions between relationship partners. “She can feel the hesitation as I try to fake and bluff,” Carter concedes as “she waves her arm all nonchalant.” As much as “Ego Trip” initially feels like a bright, upbeat, humble brag -- “You know how the lifestyle is, high mileage,” Carter sings at one point -- his surprising insight and awareness gives the song an air of secret vulnerability: “I hope she knows it’s all a front,” he thinks to himself. Carter’s refreshing self-reflexivity elevates “Ego Trip” and advances his artistry to a place where catchiness can coexist with nuance.