Browsing Tag

Jazz Hip Hop

Jazzy hip hop hit the streets of London through Dylan Dixon’s luminary hit, REAPER

Posted on 9 February 2023

After a hiatus, Southwest London’s slickest rapper, Dylan Dixon, is on razor-sharp form in his sophomore single, REAPER. With instrumentals that would be equally as home in the East Coast hip-hop arena, the trumpet-infused triumph is a scintillating hit that more than compensates for the lack of experimentation in the UK hip-hop scene that scarcely looks beyond drill and grime.

While the cinematic soul of the jazzy instrumentals set a euphonic score, Dixon comes in heavy with his bars that are enough to leave your head in a spin with their cutting canter and charisma-dripping wordplay, which inadvertently makes a mockery of what most rappers think are dynamic bars.

Influenced by the likes of Griselda, Kanye, and Ghetts, Dixon found his own urban signature in unchartered territory, through determination to never to assimilate while paying homage to the pioneering acts who came before him.

Stream REAPER on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Solomon Jones released the dualistic hip-hop single of the year with the subversive single, Snowberry

Posted on 28 December 2022

Taken from his album, Glass, the standout single, Snowberry, from the up-and-coming New Jersey-residing hip-hop artist, Solomon Jones, is a lesson in subversive expression.

From a smooth and jazzy prelude that drips pure soul and seduction through the backing vocals around his hushed spoken-word timbre, the track abruptly yet seamlessly takes a drastic turn in direction.

After confessing amorous feelings, Solomon Jones exhibits his dark and “cursed” side before bringing the soul back in, proving that the line between light and dark resides in us all and we’re only fooling ourselves by denying our intrinsically dualistic nature. Sonically, Snowberry is subtle. Yet that didn’t stand in the way of the versatile artist from delivering one of the most impactful hip-hop singles of the year.

The album was released on December 10th; it is now available to stream and purchase via apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Karrell – Mama’s Boy I: Jazzy Grooves, Choppy Flows and Endless Introspection

Posted on 26 December 2022

‘Kid in a Box’ is the debut LP from the up-and-coming hip-hop artist, Karrell, who is making short work of winning fans over with his old-school jazzy grooves, choppy flows and lyricism that brings a whole new level of introspection.

The standout single from the 12-track album, Mama’s Boy I, exposes Karrell’s softer side while establishing himself as an artist that knows how to carry conviction in every bar. The self-awareness in the confessionally narrative release, which can dizzy you with the cadence, absolutely sets the bar for other artists wanting to make an impact on their audience.

With both the intro and outro leaving ample room from cinematic old school samples, there is plenty of room to find yourself in the release after understanding Karrell’s vices, history, talents, and shortfalls that have left to expressive triumph.

Mama’s Boy I was released on December 14; catch it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Roc Flowers elevated the airwaves with his ground-breaking LP, Ovision

Posted on 3 November 2022

Roc Flowers became the Mike Patton of his generation with the launch of his genre-melding gospel album, Ovision, featuring various artists, including Fabrizio Bosso, Max Ionata, Stefano De Donato, Francesco Cherubini, Leonardo Volo, and Toti Panzanelli.

The opening single, God is Blue, starts with a quiescent neo-classic deliverance of jazzy pop tones, before hushed harmonic vocal lines and rap bars recontextualise the soundscape in scintillating fashion.

Not only would you be hard-pressed to find another artist delivering such a cathartic fusionist sound, but Roc Flowers also ensures that you’re left so sated that you’ll want for nothing while immersing yourself in this exploratory album which covers plenty of the tonal spectrum while indulging you in Gospel-Esque soul.

It’s easy listening as you’ve never known it before. The reference to Peaches in track 3 in the lyric “I can move the pussy like Peaches but I’d rather get our souls into deepness” was completely unexpected, but my god, it was appreciated. It truly is an LP that keeps on giving.

Ovision is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rap revolutionary Muncy versed for the voicelessly oppressed in Not Being Heard

Posted on 9 July 2022

Taken from his 2022 album, Rhythm & Raw Rhymes, Muncy’s visceral rap track, Not Being Heard, is an anti-capitalist masterpiece which disembowels the seedy underbelly of institutional oppression and the silencing of those with every right to protest against it.

With every new bar energetically delivered, the emotion pick ups momentum around the cinematically jazzy and neo-classic-influenced hip hop instrumentals. There isn’t much room to wonder why so many hip-hop fans looking for a vindicating voice have jumped on the fearless vulnerability of the Michigan-hailing artist.

From calling out the government for their fake generosity to creating clever metaphors about inflation in his verses; evidently, Muncy has exactly what it takes to embolden his listeners with intellect and cause a revolutionary ripple through the music industry. His LP may have been the punkest thing to happen in 2022.

Stream the Rhythm & Raw Rhymes album on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tony Newbury speaks up for the voiceless in his latest single, Westwood

Posted on 24 November 2021

Tony Newbury’s mission as a rap artist is to prove that no one is as alone in their depression and anxiety as they think they are. For anyone who has experienced a loss that has alienated them from the rest of the world, the artist’s latest single, Westwood, which explores the raw emotion left in the wake of his brother, has what it takes to resonate on a deep level.

The old school jazzy grooves and gospel nuances bring cathartic ease to the otherwise fiery and volatile rap track which perfectly depicts the disquiet storm that our minds have to navigate in grief. After listening to Westwood, you’re left with the sense that Newbury truly respects the relationship with his fans and never gives less than 100% when putting a new track on the airwaves.

Westwood was officially released on October 15th. It is available to stream on Spotify and SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast.

Wade Wilson brings the adrenaline to jazz hip hop with Be There.

Posted on 20 October 2021

The up and coming old-school-inclined hip hop artist and mental health activist, Wade Wilson, has dropped his highly anticipated debut album, Chop House, featuring the standout single, Be There. The Brooklyn-based artist’s hyper hip hop style practically brings a brand-new meaning to the term high vibe hip hop.

Right from the intro, you’re thrown into an electrifying jazzy hip hop ensemble that creates a viscerally adrenalizing platform for his high fire rap bars. While the intense BPM won’t be for everyone, anyone looking to be galvanised won’t want to miss out on this monolithic hit.

Wade Wilson’s debut album, Chop House, is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Anomaly Da’ God brings GUCCI-level style to the airwaves with his old school hip hop revival, B.Y.P.T

Posted on 10 October 2021

The up and coming hip hop artist Anomaly Da’ God paid a lo-fi ode to old school New York hip hop with his latest soul-filling drop, B.Y.P.T (Before You Pearl That).

After a hazy chill-wave intro, the track grooves through the glitchy progressions that have been fed through plenty of tape deck saturation to get their old school feel. When the luxe track hits peak momentum, Anomaly Da’ God’s lyrical canter picks up to a smooth yet rapid pace; any fans of Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye and Dre won’t want to hang around on this nostalgic yet paradoxically fresh track.

B.Y.P.T is now available to stream on YouTube

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LaurenAsh evokes 90s hip hop nostalgia with her latest release, Where is the Love.

Posted on 9 October 2021
LaurenAsh

Right from the first verse in her latest single, Where is the Love, LaurenAsh starts laying down spoken word lyrical gold around the instrumentals that take you right back to the golden age of jazz hip hop.

The NYC-based poet and artist known for her stylish fusions of RnB and hip hop has been on a mission to bring her spirit and soul to the world through music through tracks such as Where is the Love; which finds a succinct way to remind you that love makes the world go around, so you may as well start giving a little. It’s a stellar track that any fan of soul-infused hip hop will want to delve into.

Where is the Love was officially released on October 8th; you can check it out for yourselves on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Sir Rizzy Royale – The Real: The Ultimate Hip Hop Aphrodisiac

Posted on 25 September 2021

Sir Rizzy Royale’s standout 2021 single, The Real, speaks to the soul as much as it connects with you on an intellectual level. With the smooth jazzy vibes, sinking into The Real is as easy as breathing. When the rap bars kick in, you will already be lost in the amorous grooves.

The romanticism-driven melodic hip hop track evades the usual bravado that ends up in most rap lyrics, The Real strips Sir Rizzy Royale bare, and you can’t help falling for what you see. It makes a lot of sense that he’s been a poet from a young age; his slick wordplay is practically an aphrodisiac.

Check out The Real and all of Sir Rizzy Royale’s standout singles on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast