Browsing Tag

Hip Pop

Micah! is California dreaming in their latest alt indie pop release, STAY UP

Posted on 7 October 2024

You don’t need Micah!’s bio to tell you that they’re a Cali-residing artist, you can hear it in the dreamy warmth of the hazy melodies in their latest alt-indie-pop single, STAY UP, which teases nuances of hip-hop into the mix with sharp pseudo-rap cadences in the verses.

After honing their songwriting, recording and production skills for a decade, STAY UP is a catharsis-soaked culmination of all the time invested in their unflinching dedication to carve out a niche that listeners will want to nestle into time after time.

Fans of the deliciously delirious tonal palettes alchemised by NewDad, Jibba, Just Mustard and other contemporary indie icons in the same vein will find endless appeal in STAY UP, which is yet another attestation to Micah!’s potential that has already been actualised after the artist opened for Snoop Dogg and hit the 1 million stream mark on SoundCloud.

STAY UP was officially released on September 19; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tony C sonically visualised the kidcore aesthetic in his hip-hop hit, Peter Pan Man

Posted on 12 September 2024

Tony C’s latest single Peter Pan Man is a defiant, high-octane triumph of playfully devil-may-care rebellion. The Californian emcee, known for his feverish flows and razor-sharp lyrical precision, takes listeners on a journey through a kidcore aesthetic with polyphonic beats that bounce and crackle under his infectiously insolent high-vibe lyrics. Flexing against the pressures to conform and grow up, Tony C proves that being forever young isn’t just a fantasy, it’s a lifestyle.

As gripping as his visual narrative is, it’s the rhythmic precision in Tony C’s bars that truly pulls you in; it really wouldn’t matter if he was waxing lyrical from the periodic table. His animated flows are impossible to resist, hooking you with every beat. The track leaves you craving more, not just from the song itself but from his entire discography, which is as diverse and dynamic as Peter Pan Man suggests.

Tony C’s origin story took place in Roseville, California, where he initially channelled his creativity into poetry before turning to music in high school. After making waves with a 10-song album produced by Zak Diebels (Z-Rokk), Tony’s debut release, Invincible, caught major attention. With tracks appearing on E!’s Khloe and Lamar and VH1’s Black Ink Crew, the iTunes editors were quick to praise his lush hooks and hyper-enunciated verses, comparing him to heavyweights like Slug, Eminem, and Mac Miller.

With Peter Pan Man, Tony C further cements his status as a rising force in hip-hop, refusing to grow up or slow down.

Peter Pan Man is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get into the vibe-heavy groove of Jboz’s Cali pop hit, California

Posted on 27 July 2024

Cali pop has an irreplicable sonic flavour and after Jboz debuted his latest single, California, the geographical genre became immensely sweeter. With his vibe-driven approach to production, the earworm fills the soul as much as it commands the senses.

California is a flood of feel-good fervour which ripples through the funk-heightened, bass-heavy electro-pop beats which provide the perfect soundtrack to sun-kissed hedonic escapades. The luxuriantly paced release cuts across the contemporary curve, propelled by the San Diego-hailing singer-songwriter’s mellow with iconic style vocal lines that cruise across the hip-hop-adjacent beats.

In just a few days since its release, California has shot to the top of Jboz’s list of biggest hits which are on repeat for his 7.5k monthly Spotify listeners who know that following Jboz invites them into so much more than a fandom; they become a part of his community, knitted together with his profound love and connection to his followers.

California arrived on the airwaves on July 19; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Touch down in ‘BUDAPEST’ with Zulu Abantu’s Seminal Alt-Hip-Hop Track

Posted on 4 April 2024

Zulu Abantu may have cut his teeth in the grime scene, but he is coming into his own through vibrant genre fusions, especially after the drop of his latest single, ‘BUDAPEST‘. This track is a cultural mosaic, melding the raw edge of grime with the soulful depths of R&B and the universal appeal of pop.

‘BUDAPEST’ resonates with an exotic flair, breaking the monocultural mould with its eastern rhythms that weave through the production atop the trap beats, while Zulu Abantu’s vocal versatility is on full display, proving that his voice can effortlessly bridge grime, R&B, and reggaeton.

For those who crave rap tracks that abstract from material reality and transport you to domains you’d die to explore in physical form, ‘BUDAPEST’ hits the mark. The hooks in this track are not just irresistible; they are a siren call to those seeking musical exploration beyond the conventional.

Zulu Abantu’s journey from grime to an eclectic mix of genres is a testament to his artistic evolution. With a decade of dedication to his craft, he’s got what it takes to perpetually change the atmosphere of the alt-hip-hop scene.

BUDAPEST hit the airwaves on March 20; stream the single on Spotify and YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Othenic borrowed from the Beastie Boys while tracking the warp speed of the human experience with ‘Last’

Posted on 7 November 2023

If you chiselled an indie pop edge into the legacy of a discography belonging to the Beastie Boys, you’d be left with a sonic sculpture bearing a striking reminiscence to Othenic’s latest single, Last.

With a touch of Crazy Town’s Butterfly written into the alternative mix of indie, pop, and hip-hop, the alt-90s nostalgia within Last is arrestingly potent. While the angular staccato guitars lend themselves to melodic mesmerism, Othenic reflects on how the human experience moves at a warp speed and leaves us questioning how the innocence of youth slips us by and catapults us into the monotony of corporate reality.

“Life’s too short, you might as well make it last” may seem like a simple lyric, but lean into it deeper within the context of the track and you’ll see a testament to the Kentucky-Cincinnati-based artist’s proficiency with wordplay.

Last was officially released on October 19; stream the single on Spotify and follow Othenic on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Andrew Ramey found the middle ground between ennui and euphoria in his indie trap pop single, just fine

Posted on 8 August 2023

With melodies that flow as mellifluously as Jack Johnson’s and Ray LaMontagne’s, the latest single, just fine, from the alt-pop songwriter Andrew Ramey, is a rhythmically arresting earworm that affirms its addictive propensities through the sticky-sweet trap-pop percussive fills and the assured ease of the effect-laden vocal harmonies.

Rather than add to the indie landfill of singles traversing visceral emotion, Ramey found the middle-ground between the extremes of euphoria and ennui to deliver a resonant and relatable hit that is an all too efficacious reminder that when you find moments of gratitude, even on the ordinary to the point of monotony days, you’ll realise that you’re just fine too.

The Birmingham, Alabama-hailing 100% DIY and independent artist and producer’s combination of melodic wordplay and hip-pop beats will undoubtedly see him go far in the industry. There’s no overstating how organically vibe-driven his playlist staple hits are. Find out for yourselves when just fine officially releases on August 8th; hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lose yourself in the escapism of MUNBOI’s hyper pop hip-hop hit, Runaway

Posted on 25 July 2023

It has been almost a year since MUNBOI walked us down Memory Ln with his stellar slice of stoic hip-hop, but it only took his fiery flow in the first verse of his latest trap-pop-hip-hop amalgam, Runaway, to jog our memory and remind us of all the reasons he left us in awe.

By blending elements of hyper pop, chiptune, and grime-y hip-hop, the 24-year-old Bracknell, UK-hailing alternative artist, producer, and audio engineer enticed us into his sonic fantasy. For the two-and-a-half-minute duration of Runaway, you’re enveloped by the – quite literally – animated escapism of the hit. The sticky-sweet texture of the melodies contrasted against the blazingly rapid rap bars is enough to leave your senses in a tailspin, but the beats will always bring you back down to earth safely.

Since we last heard MUNBOI, he hasn’t failed to make major waves in the industry. With the help of his hardcore fans, he has sold out his hometown and London shows. Radio 1, BBC Introducing, and BBC Radio Berkshire also played their part in raising the artist up from the underground.

Runaway hit the airwaves on the 12th of July; lose yourself in it via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Tampa’s premier hip-pop nostalgist Class Vee sent an invitation you won’t want to ignore with her latest music video, House Party

Posted on 24 July 2023

After sensing the contemporary inclination towards retro aesthetics and sonics, Tampa, Florida’s hottest hip-pop nostalgist Class Vee doused the airwaves in 80s and 90s hip-pop nostalgia with her latest single, House Party.

While the music video pays an ode to the 1990 film of the same title staring Kid N Play, the single brings a solid slice of 90s boom bap flavour for the ultimate aural escapism from the 21st century. The bass-drenched beats and earwormy grooves beneath Class Vee’s glassy-with-soul vocal lines creates the ultimate feel-good anthem, which reminds the listener that life is for living and parties are for attending.

Following the release of House Party, the singer-songwriter will release her Arianna Grande-inspired single, Wierdos, on the 30th of July and perform at New York Fashion Week in September 2023.

Class Vee said:

“With my latest single, I wanted to create nostalgia; a lot of people miss the 80s and 90s; House Party is high vibe hip-pop invitation back there.”

Add House Party to your Spotify playlists or watch the music video, which has already garnered 13k streams via YouTube.

To keep up to date with all of the strides Class Vee is making in the industry, follow her on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pick out the meta poetry in Donte Letang’s hip hop single, ‘My Love’.

Posted on 20 April 2021

For indie RnB fans, Donte Letang’s standout single, ‘My Love’, has all the makings of a playlist staple. Dreamy acoustic guitar, check. Humbly magnetic vocals, check. Smooth instrumentals that immediately feel like home, check.

There are a fair few reminiscences to Timberlake’s Cry Me a River, or more contemporarily, Post Malone’s evocative hip-pop style, but with the precision of the lyrical hooks, Donte Letang is well and truly in a league of his own. It’s the kind of track that you could listen to for the 100th time and still pick out new meta poetry. My Love is gritty urban gravitas at its finest.

You can check out My Love for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast