Browsing Tag

Downtempo Hip Hop

Yugi waxes lyrical on existentialism with ‘NPMNG’.

Posted on 14 July 2021
Yugi

Up and coming hip hop artist, Yugi, is set to drop his wisdom-bomb of an EP, UNRAVEL; he’s given us a glimpse of what is to come by giving us a sneak peek of the lead track, NPMNG’.

The mellow trip-hop beats in the prelude give way to snappy 808s under layers of soulful old school hip hop influence; as the canter of the rap bars picks up, all of your attention will fall to NPMNG’s soulful wordplay.

‘Life isn’t hitting the same’ may be the most relatable lyric written this year. It succinctly encompasses the hollow feeling when you only find monotony instead of serotonin when indulging in the things that used to make you happy. Despite the waxing lyrical on existentialism, NPMNG is a hazy high-vibe hit that deserves a spot on your vibe out playlists.

NPMNG will be released on July 30th along with the rest of Yugi’s EP, UNRAVEL.

Check out Yugi on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

SHERIDAN – On Myself: Neo-Classic Jazz-Fusion Hip Hop

Posted on 4 July 2021

San Francisco-based independent artist and producer SHERIDAN has launched his highly anticipated EP, ‘ON MYSELF’; the cinematically arresting title single is the perfect introduction to the prolific artist’s soulfully evocative style.

On Myself is easily the most stunning hip hop track I’ve heard this year. The tender piano keys which pick up jazz and neo-classical sensibilities in their progressions give On Myself a stunning ambience, while the indie feel to the production allows SHERIDAN’s deeply resonant vocals to hit even harder.

On Myself explores those transitionary times in our lives when we unequivocally know that we need to grow to move on, but all too often, that growth happens at a painfully slow rate. The mellow pace of the single conceptually captures those still-life days.

On Myself released on June 17th; you can check it out for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kattacomb ambiently explores loss in their downtempo single ‘Now You’re Away’

Posted on 30 June 2021
https://soundcloud.com/kattacomb/now-youre-away?in=kattacomb/sets/sleepless-ep

Maryland, US-residing artist and producer Kattacomb has released his ambient EP, Sleepless, capturing the delirium of those sleep-deprived hours that seem to stretch beyond time or reason.

Now You’re Away may not use narrative lyrics or even vocals that still bear any humanistic resemblance. But with those three words in the title paired with the bright melodies, you’re drawn into a soundtrack that compassionately connects with you through the relatability of  loneliness that creeps into bed beside you when your mind refuses to sleep before daylight.

The conceptual use of birdsong around the glitchy, trip-hop minimalist instrumentals was nothing short of ingenious. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, Now You’re Away may just be the most stunning feat of electronica since Apoptygma Berzerk’s ‘Until the End of the World’.

Now You’re Away is now available to stream via Soundcloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Marc Lucid takes us back to the 90s era of downtempo RnB with, ‘Bout This’, featuring Rockie Fresh

Posted on 28 June 2021

Under the influence of 90s hip hop and RnB, up and coming Upstate New York-residing hip hop artist Marc Lucid released his debut album, Jungle Rulez, on June 15th. The lead track, Bout This, featuring the luminary rap artist Rockie Fresh is the perfect introduction to Marc Lucid’s smoothly hazy style of down tempo hip hop.

Any fans of Post Malone, Mac Miller and Tyler, the Creator will appreciate the soul-infusion in the mellow trap mix that candidly explores Marc Lucid’s introspection when it comes to everyday malaise. The soundscape gets a kick of energy when Rockie Fresh’s fiery rap bars hit full flow, but Lucid’s hazy stoner vibes are just as evocative in their own right.

Check out Marc Lucid’s album Jungle Rulez on apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

YOSHISUHN navigates the human condition in his latest single, MACH SPEED.

Posted on 23 June 2021
MACH SPEED (THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED) by YOSHiSUHN

‘MACH SPEED (THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED)’ is the latest single released by the luminary, Philadelphia-residing hip hop artist YOSHISUHN.

Every line delivered in this soulfully rendered release is a mic-drop moment, but instead of leaving you introspectively hanging, the inspiring meta wisdom rolls on leaving you utterly ensnared by the artist’s talent with wordplay and his ability to make a direct connection through hip hop.

The raw emotion is perfectly encased in the accordantly hazy production that you’ll want to delve into time and time again; it’s a track that consistently gets better with every listen. Tracks like MACH SPEED may not be able to change your life with one hit, but it will compassionately take the weight off your shoulders as soon as you immerse yourself.

MACH SPEED is now available to stream via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Art pop meets hip hop in Drawn Tide’s latest single, ‘High Rise’.

Posted on 12 June 2021

Drawn Tide’s latest release, High Rise, is unquestionably the most haunting hip hop release of 2021. We may only be halfway through the year, but it’s hard to imagine any viable competition for the glitchy, pensive glitch-hop beats beneath ethereal art-pop vocals.

The East London based artist created a grimy vignette of her hometown that plenty of people will find resonance within after we’ve been enclosed in our isolated homes for most of 2020 and 2021. You’ll feel the sense of loss and yearning right the way through the downtempo single that becomes even more evocative when Darren Mason lends his grimy rap bars.

Without a hint of hyperbole, Drawn Tide is a phenomenally mesmerising artist whose sound falls outside commercial mainstream realms, but any true fan of the aural form will find themselves absorbed.

You can check out the official music video to High Rise that premiered on May 28th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK rap artist ChinChin Iller shared relatable regret with her debut single, ‘As A Friend’.

Posted on 6 May 2021

With ‘turning trauma into storytelling’ as her modus operandi, ChinChin Iller is making serious waves in the UK rap scene. Her debut single, ‘As A Friend’, shares the all too relatable regret of allowing a relationship to evolve beyond platonic only to find duality and frustration.

When an artist is so bold, daring and open, for personal catharsis and to help the listener overcome self-confidence-stripping trauma, it is impossible not to pay attention. ChinChin Iller’s lyrics cut with the same sharp intellect as George the Poet and Kae Tempest. Paradoxically, she brings soul to a deadpan direct delivery while the beats celebrate the best of downtempo British hip hop.

As A Friend is now available to stream and download on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Unique M.D. wants us to hear his ‘Last Words’

Posted on 20 April 2021

Opening with some delicious violin and piano, Unique M.D.s ‘Last Words’ is a slow, chilled, but powerful slice of old-school Hip Hop telling the story of the end of a relationship, M.D.’s flow tripping over the 808 hi-hats and laid-back bassline, all early-Eminem and Dre.

Following up his earlier singles ‘Let’s Take a Trip’ and ‘First Date’, ‘Last Words’ bookends the relationship with this breakup story, the American rapper’s prolific back-catalogue showcases his style; with ‘Last Words’, M.D.’s made an easy, relaxed-feel track that still has a potent lyrical message.

You can check out ‘Last Words’ on Soundcloud now, and follow Unique M.D. on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Pharaoh Santana treats his fans to a brand-new ambient indie trap experience with his EP, ‘PSP’.

Posted on 14 April 2021

LA-based hip hop artist Pharaoh Santana first appeared on our radar with his debut single, POP OUT, which hit the airwaves in 2018. With each new release, he has taught us to expect the unexpected. With his 2021 EP, PSP, he’s retained the soul and the wit found in his former releases and treated his fans to a brand-new sonic ambient indie trap experience.

PSP carries the hallmarks of a lo-fi hip hop record through the organic textures and intimacy offered through the minimal production. Yet, indie hip hop doesn’t come much smoother than the mesmerising tracks that are sure to lull you into a state of reflective serenity.

Track 1, Arvada Freestyle, featuring Cress Rilee, steps away from Western rhythms and serves as an intoxicating introduction to the 4-track release that keeps the grooves mellow and the beats cathartically arresting as Pharaoh Santana lays down the lyrical wisdom that he’s quickly becoming renowned for.

Track 2, Pretty Women, is a subversive ode to femininity and beauty where Pharaoh Santana holds his hands up to his vices, never being crass or misogynistic. Instead, he soulfully points out what a minefield dating can be in a hypersexual society, where sex can be used as a weapon, and people get left with scars.

Track 3, Zendaya, is the perfect summer chill hop track. As the smooth choral notes add to the ambience, Pharaoh Santana disrupts it with his strident lyrics that confront the type of person who always brings the drama instead of anything positive. Some people may pride themselves on the games they play, but Zendaya is enough to put anyone who takes pleasure in manipulation think twice.

Track 4, Tony Sparks, amps up the emotion from the former tracks and is undeniably the best introduction to the ingenuity contained in Santana’s almost haunting style on the EP. As the 90s-style RnB hip hop beats flow and glitch beneath his raw, honest vocals as he speaks of humility, you’ll get a sense that nothing was held back or added for prosaic effect. Instead, you’ll get to see how he can utilise tonal contrast to create a relatable and humanistic sense of conflict.

Pharaoh Santana’s EP, PSP, is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Skii Beeb offers smooth grooves and hedonistic high-vibes in their Hip Hop debut “Penny”

Posted on 16 October 2020

It is almost as though breaking US Hip Hop artist Skii Beeb knew exactly what the world needed to hear when they created their debut album “Penny”.

The 22-year-old artist may be a self-proclaimed Vibe God, but after hearing the standout seductively grooving single Mamba, we can definitely get onboard with their religion. The indulgently mellow, almost ambient beats leave plenty of room in the mix for Skii Beeb’s RnB-laced Rap bars which deliver the lyrics with playful hedonistic inclination. If anyone has what it takes to bring in the future of Hip Hop, we’d say it’s safe in Skii Beeb’s hands.

Whatever mood you’re in when you hit play on Mamba, it is sure to be made sweeter. You can practically class adding Skii Beeb’s tracks to your playlist as an act of self-care.

You can check out Skii Beeb’s debut album for yourselves by heading over to apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast