Browsing Tag

Boom Bap

Aco Draco fires off in his stormer of a rap track, Ray Gun

Posted on 3 September 2024

Departing from sonic mundanity, Aco Draco’s latest single, Ray Gun, burst onto the scene with artillery that’s anything but ordinary. Opening with a faux news report, the track cleverly sets the stage for Draco’s irreverent entry, blending tongue-in-cheek humour with a punchy introduction that hooks listeners from the get-go.

Ray Gun”marries cinematic orchestral strings with classic boom-bap beats, creating a soundscape as expansive as it is epic. Draco’s raspy, convicting rap bars slice through the backdrop, proving that his command of the mic is as formidable as his creative vision.

This up-and-coming Colorado native, who carries influences from Lil Wayne to Metallica, showcases a dynamic fusion of sharp lyricism and high-energy beats that will rattle the hip-hop scene to its core.

From his humble beginnings recording in a closet with an Xbox headset to charting his own course in the rap industry, Draco’s journey is one of relentless pursuit and undeniable growth. His unique style, marked by raw authenticity and emotional depth, is capable of turning heads, bending ears and making waves with its charismatic wordplay and bold execution.

Ray Gun was officially released on the 29th of August; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Noremac became the king of the swagger-soaked high-vibe hip-hop banger with ‘Do It Again’

Posted on 28 July 2024

Cali hip-hop icon-in-the-making, Noremac dropped a swagger-soaked high-vibe banger with his latest release, Do It Again.

The rapper and producer doesn’t just roll with the punches in the 90s nostalgia-wrapped hit, he grooves with the wit-injected punchlines which mark him as one of the most charismatic artists on the underground.

As ludicrous as Ludacris, as magnetic as Mac Miller, Noremac, with his luxe stylistic approach to production that echoes the gloss and grit of Jay-Z while staying firmly in his own lane, sonically owns everything required to enter the pantheon of the hip-hop elite.

Crafted in his home studio, where he’s been spinning tracks since middle school, Do It Again, is a timeless hit that throbs with chest-punching boom-bap bass. Noremac’s bars bounce with a cadence that’s both sharp and infectious as his presence on the mic, allowing even the most reserved listeners to find the groove.

Do It Again was officially released on July 19; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Saint Kon’s Latest Tour De Force is a Sonic Crusade for Empathy and Justice

Posted on 1 March 2024

Some artists use their platforms for good; some use them for ground-breaking greatness. After Saint Kon released 10000 Hours on February 8, she’s definitively in the latter camp.

The pop-meets-hip-hop mash-up ensured the track has swathes of cross-over appeal while her bars bruise in a way that you may start to question if you’ve ever been hit before. The raw and heavy lyricism explores everything from suicidal ideation to the compulsion to heal others despite how deep our own scars bed down in our psyche.

After a minor key piano prelude, the bass-heavy boom-bap hip-hop instrumentals storm in as she switches from vocal harmonies to a killer rap cadence that blazes through her compulsion to fight the countless injustices of the world.

If the orchestrally heightened, inventively produced and polished track doesn’t fuel you with the motivation to use your time on earth to fight against the insidiousness that seems to get more nefarious with every trip around the sun, you can probably consider your own soul defunct. 10000 Hours is a lesson in convictive empathy; if it worked its way into the consciousness of everyone who existed, the human race would be transformed overnight.

10000 Hours is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

River Bandit exhibited his electrifying versatility in his high-octane rap track, Work Night

Posted on 26 February 2024

River Bandit’s latest single, ‘Work Night’, is a high-voltage journey through the avenues of alt-hip-hop, showcasing an artist unafraid to push boundaries and force constraints to erupt. River Bandit’s tumultuous journey from a challenging childhood to a firebrand of musical innovation is palpable in every beat of this energised to-the-nines track, which is relentlessly fuelled by retro synths and a rhythm that pulsates with life.

‘Work Night’ is a masterclass in stylistic versatility, blending elements of boom bap and trap into a seamless, electrifying experience. The track refuses to let the listener settle into complacency; instead, it demands attention with its rapid-fire bars and unexpected twists. River Bandit’s rhyme scheme is anything but typical, delivering each mic drop with refreshing intensity, candour and introspective gold.

River Bandit’s lyrical prowess is on full display, offering not just entertainment but also wisdom and insights, a reflection of his own life experiences and struggles. It’s this authenticity that elevates ‘Work Night’ from a mere song to a narrative of resilience and determination.

For fans of alt-hip-hop, ‘Work Night’ is a revelation that showcases River Bandit’s unique ability to blend his Southern and West Coast hip-hop influences into a sound that’s distinctly his own.

Stream Work Night and River Bandit’s other blazingly innovative rap tracks via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dell Feddi waxed lyrical on life’s ebb and flow in his latest rap track, Sometimes

Posted on 29 December 2023

Dell Feddi’s latest single, Sometimes, is a striking testament to the dynamic nature of life, encapsulated in a track that resonates with the rhythm of our ever-changing mental states. The Bay Area rap artist has delivered a piece that is as profound in its message as it is captivating in its delivery.

The track is a narrative woven with the threads of life’s unpredictability. His killer flow and sharp lyrical wit are the driving forces behind this track, each word meticulously chosen to reflect the myriad of ways a new day can alter our perspective. The bass-swathed beats, inspired by 90s boom bap, provide a robust backdrop to his charismatic delivery, making the track a massive hit that leaves a lasting impact.

The song delves into the essence of human experience – the simplicity and complexity of life, the ups and downs, and the ever-changing rules that govern our minds. Feddi eloquently elucidates the concept that nothing, especially our mental states, is forever. Each day brings with it a new point of view, an opportunity to don another guise and see the world through a fresh lens.

Feddi’s ability to articulate this perpetual motion of life and mind is not just creative; it’s a flawless exposition of the human condition. The track invites listeners to reflect on their own experiences and to find solace in the fact that change is the only constant.

Check out the official music video for Sometimes which premiered on December 1st via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

17thekid became the fieriest flow queen on the underground hip-hop scene with her latest single, Roll Call

Posted on 12 December 2023

Roll Call, the latest boom-bap hip-hop track from 17theKid, is a fresh nostalgic throwback to the 90s, infused with the artist’s fiery and larger-than-life energy.

The multi-talented indie artist brings her unique blend of skills as a rapper, drummer, singer-songwriter, producer, audio engineer, and dancer to the addictively electric track that is a testament to 17theKid’s intellectual prowess and sharp wit, as she weaves intricate lyrics that showcase her academic background and deep understanding of the genre. Her flow is impeccable, effortlessly transitioning between rhythms and rhymes, proving why she’s quickly becoming known for her conviction and creativity in the hip-hop community.

The beats are masterfully crafted, offering a rich and layered backdrop that complements 17theKid’s dynamic vocals. The track’s production, despite being self-recorded in a modest home studio, doesn’t lose any of its polished edge, highlighting 17theKid’s growing skills as an audio engineer.

Her ability to meld different aspects of her artistic personality into a cohesive and compelling narrative is a testament to her versatility and dedication to her craft. In Roll Call, she not only pays homage to the boom-bap style but also puts her unique stamp on it, making the track both a nostalgic journey and a bold statement of her place in the modern hip-hop landscape.

Roll Call hit the airwaves on November 25; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

_sicko narrated ‘A MODERN HORROR STORY’ in his seminally twisted boom bap track

Posted on 16 November 2023

Hip-hop’s darkest hour struck when the UK alchemist of boom bap, _sicko delivered his PLAY ME EP on Halloween. After a chilling horror score of an intro track, which sets the tone for the rest of the EP, the standout single, A MODERN HORROR STORY, kicks right into macabre gear, following an anachronistic haunted music box prelude.

By painting himself as a twisted protagonist to portray the sickness that breeds online when the worst impulses of the human psyche are vindicated by nefarious echo chambers, _sicko (AKA Aaron Terror) provided a spine-chilling exposition on the proclivities of perversion that are worryingly prolific.

With a twisted lyrical style that isn’t out of the ordinary in death metal projected through a rap flow, which makes it all too easy to lock into the sickness within the horror imagery, A MODERN HORROR STORY is plagued with sickness that will make you stop, shiver, and think.

While some would undoubtedly rush to cancel _sicko, we can see the ingenuity within his creativity, which is on par with some of the greatest horror writers out there.

Stream the PLAY ME EP via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

It’s all bells and no whistles in Roman Gastelum’s ingenuitive hip-hop track, Pavlov’s Dogs

Posted on 14 November 2023

After a bell ring in the intro to pay a conceptual nod to the iconic conditioning experiment, Roman Gastelum moves straight in with an amalgam of funk grooves, jazzy timbres, and hip-hop beats in his standout single, Pavlov’s Dogs taken from his debut LP, EQlibrium.

With the single and LP title, we probably don’t need to tell you that the LA-based bassist, vocalist, lyricist, and composer is an intellectual cut above the rest. In fact, if there were any more genius touches to this release, Roman Gastelum’s door would be blown off its hinges after an army of sapiophiles came knocking. But it is far from just pretentious art over substance.

The sublime sonic atmosphere conjured around the bruisingly clever bars by the artist who received his Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from the Musicians Institute in LA ensured that even on the 100th listen, you’ll take something new from Pavlov’s Dogs. As the cherry on the urban alchemist cake, the spacey sci-fi surrealism towards the outro is a lesson in experimental scintillation.

Pavlov’s Dogs is now available to stream on Spotify with the rest of the EQlibrium LP which dropped on September 29.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tony Newbury came in red hot in his latest rap track, FEEL THE HEAT

Posted on 28 October 2023
https://spotify.link/XH8n0M5G1Db

For his latest genre-evading urban earworm, FEEL THE HEAT, the virally successful artist Tony Newbury fused the bass of Boom Bap beats with rap bars which run with strikingly sharp reminiscences of Eminem and lush layers of trappy RnB.

To accentuate the sticky-sweet melodic appeal to the nth degree, when Newbury wasn’t blazing through his high-fire rap bars, he was reeling you further into the polished and sun-soaked production with clever pop hooks.

It comes as no surprise that the New Jersey recording artist has made a name for himself in the local scene and beyond since making his debut. In addition to the clear crossover appeal in his sonic aesthetics, which vary from release to release, Newbury remains committed to helping his ever-growing army of fans understand the chaos of the ride we’re all on. Everything is relative, but as his lyrics prove, plenty is universal, including the ability to appreciate the artistry in his uninhibited expression.

FEEL THE HEAT was officially released on September 25; start your obsession with the seminal track by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jah-Sun Collier futuristically reconfigured old-school boom bap in his latest single, RICH THOUGHTZ!

Posted on 16 September 2023

A blast of retro boom bap hit the airwaves when the latest satirically sharp rap track, RICH THOUGHTZ!, dropped as a courtesy of the ultimate urban antagonist, Jah-Sun Collier, who is also well-known as a popular YouTuber, actor, and video editor.

By futuristically reconfiguring the retro tones and adding a further lyrical trajectory to the evolution of hip-hop, the US rapper and record producer did far more than revisit vintage sounds with his tongue-in-cheek track that points out how contrived society has become through its obsession with capitalist gains.

He set the resilience to mercenary vanity bar transcendently high with the introspection-rich hit that proves that being rich in any real sense has no correlation to numbers on a screen, the brand names on your clothes or the car you drive.

RICH THOUGHTZ was officially released on September 1st. Stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast