Blackbear's 2021 EP misery lake arrived almost exactly a year after his gold-certified fifth album, everything means nothing, appeared in August of 2020. While that release contained some of his more pop-friendly material, this EP is a return to a darker, angstier sound recalling earlier albums like 2017's Digital Druglord. Tracks such as "@ my worst" and "u love u" are polished and hook-filled, but have bitter lyrics about deceit, loneliness, and betrayal. Fresh beat programming and Sasha Alex Sloan's chorus on "ghost town" coat this pill with a little bit of sugar, but on the whole, this is strictly something to put on if you're in the mood for some pristinely crafted venting.