Browsing Tag

Alt Hip Hop

The Imperial M.B. Ran with Luxe Old School Style in His Latest Alt-Hip Hop Track, Ignorant

Posted on 21 April 2022
The Imperial M.B

The Imperial M.B. brought back the luxe style of Tupac and Biggie in his latest single, Ignorant, which serves the straight out of Compton grit along with nuanced alt-rock elements in the instrumentals through the buzz saw guitars and searing oscillating effects.

It is probably safe to say that not many up and coming hip hop artists in 2022 succeed when it comes to arresting production, vocal conviction and emotionally charged lyrics, but notably, The Imperial M.B. is a triple threat. At the very least, he is one to watch.

Ignorant will be available to stream on May 6th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

European rap luminary, Jay Creti stamped down his domineeringly dark sound with ‘Ich Liebe Dich’

Posted on 17 April 2022

European hip hop artist, Jay Creti is a product of the modern multicultural world, as his music, especially his latest domineeringly dark track, Ich Liebe Dich, which merges German and Italian rap bars over caustic industrial hip hop layers, chilling choral effects and the steady bassy rattle of the 808s.

Jay Creti may mix up his sound between releases, but whichever genres that he is leaning into, you can count on an archetype-smashing aural ensemble. There really is no understating the atmosphere behind Ich Liebe Dich with the cinematic production, harsh stylistic discord and pure unbridled vocal energy.

Ich Liebe Dich is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

New age spirituality meets alt-hip hop in Kyron Rizzo’s latest single, High Priestess Pu$$y

Posted on 15 April 2022
https://soundcloud.com/kyron-rizzo/high-priestess-puy/s-w37KuX7hPp3?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Any fans of Lords of Acid will undoubtedly want to delve into the salaciously spiritual latest single from Kyron Rizzo. With the jazzy horn stabs around the rattle of the 808s and the beguile in Rizzo’s smooth yet fierce RnB rap vocals, High Priestess Pu$$y is as seductive as it is darkly alluring.

In their own words, the single is “for the Hot Girlz & Tarot Reading Hoez not afraid to WIND, TWIST, & POP their shit: in the club, car, kitchen, or shower.” The Avant-Garde work may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for anyone that likes their aural poison a little stronger and steeped in edgy magnetism, it will have all the makings of a playlist staple.

High Priestess Pu$$y will officially release on April 15th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

uhforrest became one of the most original names in indie trap with ‘highrise’

Posted on 14 April 2022

‘highrise’ is the latest candidly sweet indie trap drop from the up-and-coming San Francisco based artist, uhforrest, who is setting himself apart from the rest by establishing himself as the Elliott Smith of the new wave trap scene.

Lyrically, highrise packs a pretty bruising punch as uhforrest runs through the cleverly morose wit; instrumentally, the intimate guitars bring the catharsis as they shimmer over the glitchy trip-hop meets trap beats.

To bring yet another addictive element into the prodigal mix, uhforrest is by far one of the most vocally original trap artists to appear on our radar in recent years. When you pair that with the indie tape-saturated warmth of the genre-defying guitars, highrise is as unforgettable as it is original. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to Soundcloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ace Da King featuring Xavier Thomas – Bentley Truck; prepare your summer trap playlists.

Posted on 1 April 2022

For his latest fiery yet smooth single and music video, Bentley Truck, the hip hop trailblazer, Ace Da King collaborated with the featuring artist Xavier Thomas. If you like hip hop that speaks as much to the soul and your rhythmic pulses as it speaks about late-stage capitalist gains, the vibey and downtempo new wave trap track has all the makings of a playlist staple.

Ace Da King defiantly stamped down his mellow sonic signature in the track that allows you to lose yourself in the shimmering reverb and the light and bright texture of the keys that amplify the high vibes under Ace Da King’s envelope-pushing lyrical wit.

Since the official music video premiered on March 24th, it has already racked up in excess of 24k streams. You can check it out for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Bard of Ely, Steve Andrews waxes lyrical in his latest climate-conscious single.

Posted on 27 March 2022
Mother Nature Rap by Steve Andrews

On March 21st, Steve Andrews, AKA the Bard of Ely, showed us a brand-new facet to his consistently conscious talent with the release of ‘Mother Nature Rap’. The rap track drifts away from his usual psych-folk style but keeps the heart of it behind the canter of the rapped vocals, blistering synths and heavy rattle of the 808s.

I can safely say that I haven’t been this arrested in a socially dissecting hip hop track since Scroobius Pip launched his Logic of Chance album. The vocals take on a brand-new style of conviction as Andrews takes a no holds barred approach to announcing the impending climate doom and pointing out that we are already living it.

There is no shortage of cutting lyricism, but my personal preference has to fall upon, Mother nature ain’t here for your dream, You’re in hers, so let it be, and The Mother’s lungs have been cut out, It’s happened but it’s obscene. The imagery is as haunting as it is captivating in its unflinching John Cooper Clarke style.

Mother Nature Rap was recorded in Portugal at Verdelho Studio with Ricardo Verdelho as the producer. It also features synth overdubs by Crum (ex-Hawkwind, ex-Moonloonies). It is now available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Vatic keeps it raw and real in his downtempo emo hip hop track, 3 am

Posted on 26 March 2022

Vatic’s latest raw and honest single, 3 am, is an acknowledgement that nobody is always ok, and that’s ok. The slow tempo, heartbreak infused single takes new wave hip hop to an ambient and almost ethereal level. With the solemnly hushed vocals adrift over the simple minor piano chords, it is all too easy to find yourself at the heart of this plaintively meditative single that hammers home the depth of pensive pain that we all feel in our lives from time to time. 3 am carries no sense of ego or grandiosity; instead, Vatic paid homage to the reality of the true human experience. He’s a true artist, we can’t wait to hear what follows.

3 am was released on March 10th; you can hear it for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bradspectacular has stormed in with his latest fiery chiptune rap track, Games

Posted on 18 March 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UelKgIh2hSY

Here to finish what Atari Teenage Riot started is the alt hip hop artist, Bradspectacular, and his glitchy chiptune hit, Games, produced by Trust201. The Virginia-born, Houston-based artist takes influence from Zack Fox and Baby Keem, but in his latest stormer of an alt electro-rap track, he is standing in a fiery 8-bit league of his own.

The energy in his bass-riding playful yet convictive track is nothing short of infectious, and with his authenticity making an instant impression, it is only a matter of time before Bradspectacular ascends into the mainstream.

Games will officially release on March 18th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube and Spotify. Keep up to date with new tracks via Instagram and TikTok.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Isaiah Sweh stays ambiently humble in his 2022 EP, Far from Perfect

Posted on 16 March 2022

Isaiah Sweh brought a brand-new depth to the hip hop genre with his resilience encompassing EP, Far from Perfect, which explores motivational themes, gets up close to the grit of modernity and covers the very real reality of never being able to keep our demons subjugated forever.

The 4-track downtempo release experiments with trip-hop, RnB, pop and trap textures, but the definitively hip hop release never veers all too far from the roots of the genre. The smooth and ambient vibes in the EP, especially with track 2, TAT (Time After Time), is what vibe out playlists are made for. As a whole, the EP is a much-needed trip away from the frantic pace of our external lives. It’s a chance to pause, reflect, and drink in Isaiah Sweh’s smoothly outlaid introspection.

Far From Perfect is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Drop Etan Sutef’s latest trip of an alt-RnB meets underground hip hop track, Acid

Posted on 16 March 2022

Etan Sutef’s latest single, Acid, is well on its way to going viral after the premiere of the music video on February 22nd. The hazy, mellow track, produced by H.Gold, is sentiment-heavy and soulfully smooth as Etan Sutef lets the lyrics flow as a candid stream of consciousness; making it easy for the listener to find themselves in the apathy, resilience, regret and empathy.

You’d be hard-pressed finding another artist with such maturity and wit in their rap bars and tranquil catharsis in his melodies. The 25-year-old Brooklyn born artist has been finetuning his sonic signature that melds alt RnB with underground hip hop since the age of 13. That discernibly shows with Acid. The magnetic tone of the spoken-word vocals effortlessly gel with the instrumentals that have been saturated in pools of tape delay and reverb.

Check out Acid for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast