Our recurring feature series Track by Track allows artists to guide readers through each song on their latest album. In this edition, zayALLCAPS breaks down his latest album, My Uncle Told Me Some Real Ass Sh*t on the Phone Yesterday.

zayALLCAPS is a creative’s creative. The Los Angeles by way of Sacramento singer-rapper-producer has been tinkering with countless music tools, far-flung sounds, and varied approaches for over a decade, invested in seeking continual knowledge of the craft of hip-hop and R&B. His new album, My Uncle Told Me Some Real Ass Sh*t on the Phone Yesterday, is the realization of years of experience and training. “I made this album over the course of a few years,” zayALLCAPS tells Consequence. “It acts as a thesis project, a culmination of skills I’ve been building as a producer and vocalist.”

According to Zay, “Uncle is a chaotic blur of romance and self-discovery set to a backdrop of sample glitches and echoing synth chords.” His fourth album in as many years, Uncle sees zayALLCAPS exploring sonic boundaries that he’s been dancing around since his debut album, 2023’s BALLING OUT OF SPITE. With releases like last year’s art Pop * pop Art, home to “MTV’s Pimp My Ride,” one of our Best Songs of 2025, Zay experimented with light and brightness, offering generally upbeat productions and sunny verses. Uncle, on the other hand, is mercurial and rooted in emotion, a shift in direction that comes naturally to Zay.

Take “CHANGEZ,” a ’90s-indebted, true-to-form R&B track that Zay produced himself. In revisiting his discography, you can hear how he arrived at this creative point; his playful aversion to rigidity is as palpable as his passion. By deconstructing classic soul and re-assembling it into his own aural playground, zayALLCAPS is locking into his pure abilities.

“The medium itself is the art form,” he raps on “Digital Jungle,” a track filled with wildly alternating patterned tones. It sounds unlike anything else on the album, which can be said about every other song; in fact, each song is a diverse experience in and of itself, transforming in some form or fashion by its end. zayALLCAPS is discontent with settling in one space musically, which makes Uncle an adventurous listen.

zayALLCAPS is more focused on evoking a feeling than chasing perfection. His willingness to create for the sake of creating has brought him a level of freedom that can only come with unabashed self-expression.

While the album exists mostly as an alternative R&B project, it also functions as a mirror for Zay to reflect on his family relationships (“SWOOP”), friendships (“Satellite,” “infinity pool”), and romantic life (“4skore”). He includes voicemails from various characters in his life, including the infamous Uncle, who stands in as a figure of guidance and a well of lived information.

Read zayALLCAPS’ complete Track by Track breakdown of My Uncle Told Me Some Real Ass Sh*t on the Phone Yesterday and stream the LP below.