From the start, ADEN admits he doesn’t have answers, the love he wants or confidence in his dreams. Not only does the 20-year-old musician embrace this uncertainty, he makes it a mantra on his first solo project, IDFK. The five-track EP conveys the fears and confusion of youth with an alt-R&B flair that also incorporates hip-hop, trap and EDM—all notably strung together with riffs and songwriting that recall ADEN’s personal guitar hero, John Mayer. But what ADEN lacks in certainty he makes up for in talent. Learning composition, production and mixing while in high school, ADEN grabbed runner-up at Café Plaza’s music competition in 2019. That led to an invitation to work on the Taiwanese coffee brand’s theme song, “Stand Out”. Although established artists such ØZI and Mickey Lin were also featured on the collab, the then-19-year-old ADEN commanded the spotlight. The track trended on social media, garnering notable covers and the ear of Taiwanese-Korean singer Shi Shi, who ADEN eventually worked with on her tracks “Me First” and “Two of One”. More than a coming-of-age album, IDFK stands out with lyrics that are at the same time both skeptical and optimistic. “Fame and money, craving something / Yeah why? / I ask myself, where will I go? / I want to know love my whole life / While I’m young and here right now,” he sings on the EP’s opening title track. Perhaps this diametrical attitude represents Gen-Z. While ADEN believes in going for it despite societal pressure, he can’t shake his doubt: “Gotta be the best me / Is this hard work enough?” he sings on closing number, “Need You Around”. At the EP’s centre—“幻想”, “You'll Get All” and “多久才懂妳的心”—is a mini-trilogy on the three stages of young love: yearning, desire and sadness. Waves of ‘90s synths, trap beats and guitar lay bare ADEN’s pursuit to answer some of his life questions through a meaningful relationship. Overall, IDFK packs a lot into 18 minutes. ADEN not only voices the concerns of his generation, but anyone unsure about the future. At the very least, it dispels any doubts of ADEN’s promising career ahead.