Browsing Tag

Dream 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

Flex3r created a meditative dreamscape with his pop-hip-hop crossover, Let It Go

Posted on 21 October 2023

Flex3r (AKA Cedric Kasongo) versed the bars that punctuate his honeyed harmonies straight from the soul in his latest cocktail of hip-hop, RnB, Afrobeat and pop, Let It Go. Since making his debut, he’s established himself as an authentically compelling creator who pushes the limits of hip-hop; with Let It Go, he allowed his sound to sit on a plateau of pure mindful compassion.

While no one ever needs permission to let negativity go, we all need affirmations weaved into cathartically euphonic soundscapes from time to time. Harbouring hate will only serve to hold you back in life; let it go, and unshackle yourself with this stunning dreamscape of a release that borders on psychedelic etherealism.

The Congolese-American recording artist is clearly one to watch; from the distinction in his signature style to the revelations in his lyrics, the melody-maker who was born in DR Congo, raised in Zambia, and lives in Baton Rouge, is unparalleled through his determination to stay in his own lane.

Let It Go breathed freedom onto the airwaves on October 13; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Find catharsis in the candour of Yen Won’s dreamy alt-rap hit, Never Fade Away

Posted on 14 March 2023

The Cali born and raised 23-year-old Korean-Japanese rapper Yen Won’s latest new wave hit, Never Fade Away, is an ethereal technicolour dream. While the strong and steady backbeat brings the energy in line with the fervidly delivered rap bars, there was plenty of room in the short and sweet mix for lush reverb and the transcendentally ascending electronica motifs which enabled Yen Won to effortlessly establish his distinction in the semi-lucid soundscape.

Beyond dying alone, the fear of fading away weighs heavy on the psyche for many, but only artists as vulnerably bold as Yen Won would ever care to admit it. By doing so, he exhibited the commonality and tore through the stigma. It comes as no surprise that thousands of listeners find solace and catharsis in his candour.

Never Fade Away is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Slide into Izaiah Bangz’s latest new wave rap track, Messenger

Posted on 13 June 2022

Like a laureate of the modern age, the trap pop artist Izaiah Bangz is always true to his moniker and bang-on his cutting narratives of 2022 romance. While I never quite anticipated a love song that mentions Chik-Fill-A, Bangz runs the reference right through his vibey latest release, Messenger, that borders on ethereal with its dreamy RnB layers.

After making his debut in 2019, Izaiah Bangz hasn’t failed to amass a following around his soul-steeped hard hitters that make it infinitely easier for his fans to navigate the digitally dystopic age of romance. After the release of Messenger, he is well on his way to racking up over 15k streams just a few days after the release. After the drop of his forthcoming self-titled debut album, it is safe to say Izaiah Bangz is going to be an unstoppable force in the new wave of hip hop.

Messenger is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Poetry flows with the mellow vibes in Innocent Tata’s alt hip hop track, The End.

Posted on 3 December 2021

Alt rap artist, Innocent Tata, dropped his latest album, Kiwi (The Bird), on November 15th; with his poetic flows and ambient indie vibes, this is urban catharsis as you have never known it before.

The standout single, The End, is a mellow window into the artist’s candid soul. After a hazy intro that bleeds reverb, the beats start to rattle beneath his butter-smooth rap bars that work their way around the introspective gold in the lyricism. The End drifts through ethereal increments into crescendos of sheer ambient electro ingenuity; your vibe out playlists couldn’t ask for more.

The End is available to stream and purchase via the apple store with the rest of Innocent Tata’s album, Kiwi (The Bird).

Review by Amelia Vandergast

George Bien – scared of planes w/ emily: Emotionally Raw, Sonically Ethereal Trap

Posted on 24 November 2021

Lil Peep left plenty of inspiration in his wake; a potent shot of it can be found in the latest single, scared of planes, by the up and coming alt hip hop artist, George Bien.

In the ambient and atmospheric track, the confessional lyricism stings as it resonates, but there’s no taking the catharsis out of the dreamy mellifluous grooves. George Bien has exactly what it takes to define the future of hip hop with his emotionally raw, sonically ethereal style that we can’t wait to hear more of. At 21-years old, the Santa Cruz-based newcomer has already proven his pioneer potential. He is a force to be reckoned with from here on out.

Scared of planes is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Josh Bracken has made his alt hip hop debut with the cathartically compassionate EP, Daydreaming at Night.

Posted on 25 September 2021

Just as Amy Winehouse rocked the world with her intrinsic authenticity, alt-hip hop artist, Josh Bracken, is set to do the same with his soul-steeped experimentalism. His debut EP, Daydreaming at Night, offers an olive branch to any listener whose brain is as hospitable as a beartrap when their heads hit the pillow.

The title single is the perfect introduction to Bracken’s compassionate vocals and dreamily melodic indie hip hop beats. Any fans of Nick Drake’s vocal timbre will find themselves equally as enamoured with Daydreaming at Night. The soundscape effortlessly lulls you into a state of catharsis as you grasp at the poetry in the optimistic-in-spite-of-existentialism lyrics.

Daydreaming at Night is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Melt into Quietboy’s soporifically sweet Dream Hop track ‘7’

Posted on 31 December 2020

Lo-fi, subtle, with a pretty ascending musical background of chimes and effected bass backing Quietboy’s vocal, this is hip hop in the style of Future, Lil Tecca, or maybe most-closely, Bladee – all tripping-together flow and autotune vocal effects over chilled, relaxed background. No Boom-Bap stylings or fast, drill-style breaks here, this is laid-back, cool, and mellow, almost trance-like in its chilled-ness.

From Quietboy’s fresh new album ‘Who?’ – thirteen tracks of soft, velvety mellifluous hip hop – this is fresh and airy rap from South Jersey, with a sweet, rounded backing track under Quietboy’s poetic multi-syllabic rhymes and melodic delivery. It’s cool, it’s chill, and yeah, it Quietboy softly lives up to his moniker with a stream of consciousness freestyle delivery and a properly mature sing-song cadence.

Check out ‘7’, and the rest of ‘Who?’, here.

Review by Alex Holmes

Jay – Luv Tape: The ultimate lo-fi hip hop breakup album

Posted on 28 December 2020

New Jersey-hailing rapper & producer Jay, (AKA Jasun Ramirez) made their debut in 2018, in 2020, they dropped their Lo-Fi Hip Hop album ‘Luv Tape’ and brought sticky-sweet romanticism to the New Wave Trap genre.

The breakup album covers pretty much every conceivable emotion which you feel following a breakup, anger, insignificance, grief, lovelorn nostalgia, you name it, the 8-tracker delivers it all with a side-serving of dreamy beats pulled together in intimately sweet productions.

You can check out Hey, Stranger along with the rest of the album ‘Luv Tape’ for yourselves via Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Māori Alt Hip-Hop artist FABLE serves evocative urban alchemy in their latest single ‘298’

Posted on 27 December 2020

After the release of their 2019 debut single, ‘Beware’, Alt Māori Hip-Hop artist, FABLE, has amassed acclaim amongst critics and fans alike, with their uniquely intimate approach to producing contemporary Hip Hop, all pretence is lost, and nothing but delicate affable soul is delivered.

Their latest release ‘298’ perfectly demonstrates that experimentation and authenticity don’t need to detract from commercial potential, with enough talent and vision, obscurity can be avoided, and new avenues for passion-driven expression can be found.

The New Zealand-hailing artist has topped charts and made plenty of waves in their local circuit but it’s only a matter of time before he starts to be internationally recognised as the pioneer of urban evocative alchemy that he discernibly is.

You can check out 298 along with FABLE’s earlier releases by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast