Browsing Tag

Ambient Hip Hop

dom ultra – DAYSINBOSTON: From the Streets to the Studio via the Boulevard of Soul

Posted on 1 February 2024

DAYSINBOSTON by the NYC luminary, dom ultra, is a masterful blend of soul and innovation, marking a significant moment in his musical journey, which is about to reach a major milestone with the drop of his upcoming debut project, PRESENTING: ROY HUNTER, which is due for release in March 2024.

The wavy, luxe production transports listeners from the gritty streets of Boston to the heart of his fervently hypnotic creativity. The use of ethereally distorted backing vocals adds an artful, gospel-esque layer to the track, creating a rich, multi-dimensional sound while dom ultra ensnares with the versatility in the lead vox, as he effortlessly shifts from a spoken word cadence to dancehall-ready vox.

The hypnotic distortion around the sample towards the outro amplifies the Bon Iver influence, a nod to dom ultra’s diverse musical inspirations. This element adds a textured, almost dreamlike quality to the track, blending seamlessly with the soulful undercurrents.

Since his early days with Oblivius Music, dom ultra has evolved into an artist who defies genre constraints. DAYSINBOSTON is proof that he’s still riding high on the fumes of his distinctively pioneering flare.

DAYSINBOSTON was officially released on January 19th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Suli Hyuga orchestrated the ultimate soundtrack for seances with the soul with the luxe ambient garage house grooves in his seminal track, +24. BLEED+

Posted on 22 January 2024
https://soundcloud.com/sulihyuga/1-24-bleed/s-5KjwcE5ryxh?si=05a53fe911f54c438f399988397e154c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

The timbres and textures within Suli Hyuga’s latest release, +24. BLEED+, may feel comfortingly familiar, but the London-based artist’s approach to synthesising UK Garage with House and Rap pushes the sonic flavours into arenas that few other artists have seen the potential within.

Perfect for late-night seances with the soul, this seminal release is a reverberation of pure incandescent hypnotism, with every progression, a new subjugation to its luxe atmosphere. With Suli leaving no one else’s imprint on his work as the sole architect of his soundscapes, the mark he will leave on the UK Garage landscape will be definitively his distinctive own.

+24. BLEED+ is the title single pulled from Suli Hyuga’s 5-track EP, which promises to dive deep into a cavern of cathartic dance-influence hip-hop. With rich resonance set to spill from the atmospheric synths between his smooth vocal flows as they groove through dynamic bars and around alchemic arrangements of raw basslines and intuitive percussion, the EP is primed to become an aural phenomenon in its own right.

Stream +24. BLEED+ on all major platforms, including SoundCloud, from January 19th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

J Swave waxed lyrical on the cyclicality of capitalism with his soulfully smooth rap track, Round and Round

Posted on 19 December 2023

UK rapper J Swave is a conduit of soulful innovation in his latest track, Round and Round. With ethereal backing harmonies which resonate as though they’ve just been torn from the sunset of an ambiently exotic deep house track behind his steady and captivating canter, the track unravels as a profoundly melodious commentary on the unyielding demands of capitalism.

J Swave, with his Nigerian roots and diverse background, has consistently demonstrated his ability to resonate with a wide audience. His debut EP, III Styles, and the mixtape Catch the Swave have already set a high bar, but Round and Round elevates his artistry to new heights – far above the standard set for underground artists. The track’s cross-over commercial appeal is undeniable, with a melodic sonic signature almost hypnotic in its gravitational pull.

Going beyond the hot-headed anger and opting to verse emotionally charged poetry that delves deep into social issues, it’s effortless to become consumed in the introspection. His verses are a poignant subversion of the medieval theology that love is the central force in the world. In Swave’s portrayal of the UK’s capitalistic dystopia, it’s not the measure of the heart but, lamentedly, the weight of one’s wallet that defines a man.

As the backing vocals provide a hauntingly beautiful contrast to Swave’s grounded, rhythmic flow, the track entwines euphonic magnetism with a provoking stimulus for the mind. It’s a track that not only resonates with his growing fan base but also stands as a compelling invitation for new listeners to explore the depth and versatility of his music.

Watch the official music video for Round and Round, which premiered on December 13th on YouTube, or stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Pinwheel Valley & Garrison Cade Created a Meditation in Ambient Old School Hip Hop with R.E.M. State

Posted on 30 May 2023

For his latest release, the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, Pinwheel Valley, added an old-school hip-hop top-line to the beat of the standout instrumental single, R.E.M. State, which featured on his 2023 EP, What If I.

Collaborating with the rapper Garrison Cade, who has proven to be at the top of his game in his alt/indie band, Sam the Astronaut, which has taken Canada’s West Coast by storm, the two collaborators answered the question, what does it sound like when two powerhouses collide?

While we loved the artful ambience of the instrumental iteration for the temperate atmosphere that oscillated through our speakers, the hip-hop revival of the single reached the serendipitous pinnacle of visionary synergy.

With the verses flowing with the same transcendent philosophy as the intricate progressions, the reworking of R.E.M. State unravels as a meditation in authentically old-school ambient old-school hip-hop. Pinwheel Valley & Cade couldn’t be derivative if they tried with their shared tenacity for versing and arranging melodies straight from the soul.

“R.E.M. State is the ‘Kaytranada – Bus Ride’ inspired track that started out as an instrumental on the ‘What If I’ EP released last February. A few ppl were asking for an old-school Hip-Hop top-line to the beat, and I thought Garrison Cade would make the perfect fit. Garrison is a talented rapper who also fronts ‘Sam the Astronaut’, a popular Canadian West Coast, Alternative/Indie band. I believe Garrison has the right pre-reqs for someone I could tour or perform a couple shows with at some point.”

Stream R.E.M State featuring Garrison Cade, which hit the airwaves on May 31st, via Spotify.

Follow Pinwheel Valley on Facebook, and Instagram


Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jay Doce lays defencelessly bare in his ethereal rap track, Vulnerable

Posted on 6 February 2023

Up-and-coming Cali hip-hop artist Jay Doce versed poetry into an ethereal atmosphere in his standout single, Vulnerable.

Vulnerability is often something that we’re desperate to hide in our dog-eat-dog world, where weaknesses are exploited, and almost everyone has experienced being ghosted by this point. Jay Doce proved how sweet it can be to open yourself up completely and let the world see your soul exposed.

The melodically downtempo track hits all the right evocative notes instrumentally but the hardest blows come from the songwriter and rapper’s raw expression, which disarms you through the sheer visceral resonance. Any fans of East Coast hip-hop will want to save space for the lyrical luminary on their playlist.

Stream Vulnerable on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tony Driver painted a portrait of disassociation and disillusion with his razor-sharp ambient hip hop single, Myself

Posted on 12 September 2022

Taken from his self-titled third album, Tony Driver’s single, Myself, is yet another testament to his bold vulnerability that allows his lines to hit bruisingly hard. Never afraid to navigate mental health struggles, Tony Driver delivered an intimate exposition of the lengths of his disassociation and disillusion with the world that makes alienation non-optional for so many.

To counterbalance the weight of the lyrics, “I’m tired of hiding, but who here would even care, is anyone even there?” Tony Driver set up an ambiently melodic chillwave soundscape which juxtaposes the dynamically flawless flows, which will cut razor-sharp with anyone in the same headspace. I, for one, can wholly relate.

Myself, along with the self-titled album, is now available to stream on Spotify.

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

Walker Deuce takes ambient trap to the realms of old school hip hop with ‘Chill’

Posted on 11 November 2021

From freestyle prodigy to vibe master, Walker Deuce’s sound may have evolved, but his bold, raw energy remains as visceral as ever. His standout release, Chill, has all the makings of your next vibe out playlist staple.

The short and sweet track may only run through for 1:34-minutes, but that is all the time it took for the Portland-based artist to lull you into a state of reflective catharsis through the wavy trippy tones and nostalgic old school sensibilities.

Chill carries all the grit of 80s hustler hip hop, but its colourful cadence and indie guitars stay on the more soulful and affable side of expression. Any fans of Snoop Dogg, Mac Miller, Dre won’t want to hang around in introducing Walker Deuce to their playlists.

Along with releasing eight albums, plus plenty more EPs and singles, the rapper and songwriter gives back to the hip hop scene as an indie label owner.

Chill officially released on September 29th; you can check it out for yourselves on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Lolo GB is On Flex in his latest alt-hip hop single.

Posted on 4 November 2021
https://youtu.be/m1zMQ-tPUi4

Southside Chicago rap artist, Lolo GB, dropped his atmospheric drill track, On Flex, on October 23rd; prepare your vibe-out playlists for an immersively arresting addition.

The short and trippy track grooves through an ambiently wavy production through the bass-heavy 808 hits and reverb-drenched notes under Lolo GB’s deadpan yet dynamic rap bars. The production may not be the cleanest or the most robust, but that works in Lolo GB’s favour with the catharsis that this firecracker of an alt-hip hop can deliver as it works through its spacey lo-fi grooves.

On Flex is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK rapper Chiron Loxton takes the urban grit out of hip hop with Out in the Trees.

Posted on 5 October 2021

It’s tracks like Chiron Loxton’s latest single, Out in the Trees, that exhibit the pointlessness of facade-delivered lyricism. Out in the Trees is the first track released from the luminary Somerset-residing rap artist’s mindful lockdown-inspired album. It is also the perfect introduction to his tendency to take lyrical hip hop to the next level.

Rap and nature rarely go hand in hand, given that it was created in the Bronx, but Loxton didn’t fail to take hip hop out of the urban era and root it in nature. The meditative trap beats with ambient drill undertones make for the perfect vibe out playlist staple.

The official video to Out in the Trees premiered on September 3rd. You can check it out for yourselves on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast