Browsing Tag

Melodic Hip Hop

Spitta Zay has dropped his flawlessly facade-less downtempo hip hop track, TRST.

Posted on 26 September 2021

US alt-hip hop trailblazer, Spitta Zay, is proving to be just as much of an aural force to be reckoned with as Saul Williams, especially on the basis of his latest evocatively experimental single TRST.

With the alt-indie guitars wrapping around the solid 808 snares in the atmospheric track that teases you through spatial effects and unpredictable downtempo rhythms, you can’t help but be drawn in by the refreshing sonic palette. Yet, it is the façade-less expression in the lyrics and downtrodden-but-still-soulful vocals that make hitting play on TRST an unforgettable experience.

Tracks like TRST mark a pivotal societal change in the openness in our trauma and idiosyncratic behaviour. If more artists found themselves with the same unfiltered motivation as Spitta Zay, I can’t help feeling that the world would be far more empathetic.

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

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mani Knox delivers high vibe ennui in his standout single, ‘F.M.L’

Posted on 17 September 2021

NYC born and raised alt-hip hop pioneer, Mani Knox, has dropped his sonically high-vibe EP, Demons Dilemma, featuring the standout single, F.M.L; if you are going to curse existence to any track, make it this one.

Since his 2019 debut album, Love is War, Knox has been a mental health advocate through his music. Not in the superficial, good vibes only, way more in the I’ve seen the dark and, now I’m going to show you the light way, that you can’t help getting absorbed by.

F.M.L reels you in lyrical hook, bassline and sinker. His productions are just as massive and robust as you will find from artists such as Labrinth, The Weeknd, and Tinie Tempah but it’s the intimacy of the single that uses a female protagonist to allude to the depths ennui can take you to that wins you over with F.M.L.

F.M.L is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MMUpClan put melodicism behind the old school hip hop with their latest single, Chico Calabasas.

Posted on 17 September 2021

For their latest single, Chico Calabasas, the breaking 4-piece rap outfit MMUpClan went back to the roots of old school hip hop but took a dark turn along the way. When the beat kicks in, your rhythmic pulses will be powerless to surrender to the minimalist instrumentals that give the rap bars plenty of room to breathe in the intrinsically melodic track that will stick with you long after the fade out.

Everything about Chico Calabasas feels clever, witty, and nothing short of infectious. The magnetism of their vibe is only matched by their talent as wordsmiths. We shouldn’t need to tell you to put them on your radar.

Check out the latest track from MMUPCLAN via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stefano Jay has released his affectionately grounding RnB hip hop track, ‘By Your Side’.

Posted on 26 June 2021

Connecticut-based hip hop artist Stefano Jay uses his music to transcribe his life stories through introspective lyrics that do far more than look inwards; they project life-affirming wisdom outwards.

By Your Side is the latest single released by the 18-year-old artist; his signature sound resounds in the realm of melodic, compassionate hip hop that carries nuances of jazz, trap, RnB pop and old school hip hop. It’s a stunning vignette of how passionate ties keep us grounded in a world that seems to thrive on uncertainty and chaos. This anchoring track will prove to be the perfect addition to your summer hip hop playlists.

By Your Side is now available to stream and download on all major platforms via this link.

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

Nobel teaches us a lesson in ‘Perseverance’ with his latest infectiously resilient rap track, featuring ooozy_b

Posted on 5 June 2021

If you like your hip hop to drip with a Mac Miller level of cool, you’ll want to get acquainted with the grooves in Nobel’s indie hip hop single, Perseverance, featuring ooozy_b.

If anyone is well-placed to teach you a lesson in perseverance, it is Nobel. Nobel was born in Kurdistan during the Iran-Iraq war; at the age of three, he and his family fled to Northern Virginia, where Nobel discovered rap artists such as Tupac and the visceral work of alternative artists. His creative expression started with poetry before he started to form the signature rap style that he’s quickly becoming renowned for.

There is so much adoration to be had for an artist so motivated to make the world a better place when they’re more entitled to a dim view of humanity than most. Nobel’s infectious positive energy and powerfully meta lyrics will undoubtedly see him go far in his mission of proving that his Kurdish community can triumph over tragedy.

You can check out the official music video to Persevere by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

AK Diorr. takes us on a ride with his latest melodic hip hop single, ‘CHROME FORGIATOS’.

Posted on 12 May 2021

With so much hype around LA-based singer-songwriter AK Diorr., we dove into his latest single, CHROME FORGIATOS. The grooves in the light and ambient feat of melodically sun-bleached hip hop instantly affirmed how Diorr. has garnered so much acclaim since his debut single, ‘Eager’, dropped in 2020.

CHROME FORGIATOS may explore lavish excess, but the through his magnetism and the romanticism of the soundscape that breaks the monocultural mould, the track becomes so much more than just another series of status symbol boasts. You would struggle to find more soul in a contemporary hip hop track.

It’s easy to predict his trajectory to the top soaring in 2021 and beyond. Save a space for him on your radar.

CHROME FORGIATOS is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hey-Zooz dresses down gold-digger culture with ‘Fancy Cars’

Posted on 18 April 2021

‘Fancy Cars’ is just one of the tracks to feature on Hey-Zooz’s debut album ‘Welcome to Life’ that offers plenty of opportunities to see the world less blindly.

The Atlanta-based hip hop artist always focuses on reflection and growth with his tracks that run through without any hint of sanctimonious superiority. It’s palpable that Hey-Zooz creates music to make the process of navigating the world a little easier for his listeners.

Fancy Cars poignantly dresses down gold-digger culture, for all too long, for hip hop artists ‘showing ‘em what you’ve got’ revolved around showcasing capitalist pursuits. Switching the narrative, Hey-Zooz offers his wisdom on the subject and points out the obvious flaws in attempting to buy affection. The indie vibe to the melodic contemporary rap track makes it all too easy to pay attention.

Fancy Cars is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

SixPortalz shows us the melodic potential of cloud rap with their latest release, ‘YOUNG LUV’.

Posted on 18 April 2021

‘Heartfealt’ isn’t an adjective easily affixed to cloud rap, but East Stroudsberg-based artist, SIxPortalz left us with few other ways to allude to the evocative and all-baring nature of his latest single, ‘YOUNG LUV’.

With melodic piano keys introducing the track and still running between the 808s through the verses, YOUNG LUV possesses all of the rhythmic pull of a sad pop ballad, but there’s no compromise to the raw and honest nature of the lyrics and the delivery. He’s set the bar for emo rap artists with his soulfully bruising approach.

You can check out the official video to YOUNG LUV for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Urban Row3 – For the Fame: Humble Hustler Hip Hop

Posted on 6 April 2021

Up and coming hip hop artist Urban Row3’s latest soul-infused hip hop track, ‘For the Fame’, comes with a refreshing subversive twist. Rather than falling into the trap of becoming yet another capitalist poster boy, Urban Row3 welcomed created a slick mix that plenty will vibe with

If any track is worth coining the genre ‘humble hustler hip hop’ for, it’s For the Fame. It instantly shares its infectiously grounded yet high vibe energy. It comes as no surprise that Urban Row3 has been able to rack up so many streams since the recent release of this urban earworm.

The official music video for Urban Row3’s single, For the Fame, dropped on March 21st. You can check it out via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast