Smile is the beginning of something. A new familiar feeling. An authentic moment. A departure from the current trends. With his first official release, the light is shining on Maxo. His effortless storytelling and emotional delivery are a breath of fresh air. The 8 song project is underscored by the soulful lo-fidelity production of LastNameDavid. A snapshot of coming of age in Southern California, both sound and content are the very definition of what is real. Smile is an honest, youthful, troubled and hopeful record. The only feature is from Sharp (rightfully named) on “AppleTree.” From the sobering Same Hoodie Since ‘05 to the anti-romantic Evelyn, Maxo recorded Smile as a reminder to himself and his generation to appreciate every situation, regardless of the circumstances.