Browsing Tag

Electronic Hip Hop

Ride the funk-soaked tilt-a-whirl that is November Criminal’s latest alt-hip-hop single, Bouncing Back

Psych Rock and Hip-Hop rendezvoused around monocultural mould-smashing funk flavours and orchestral motifs in the latest standout feat of elevated experimentalism from the alternative multi-instrumentalist and producer November Criminal.

His latest album, Scrambled Eggs Vol. III, puts the assumption that out-there innovation always has to smack with pretension to bed and tucked it up tight in the groove pockets in the lead single, Bouncing Back.

Depicting it through words alone could never do the exhilarating aura justice; from the first progression, you will feel your mood rise with the ever-ascending notes that reach the pinnacle of high-vibe hip hop. In my book, not all too many experimental artists can stand against the creative tenacity of Mike Patton; November Criminal is enough to make even his most Avant-Garde creations resonate as pedestrian. Frankly, I’m obsessed and entirely convinced anyone with a functional soul will be too.

Check out the latest album from November Criminal via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Zinc XD cuts loose in his melodic experimental hip hop track, NO TIES

Northern California hip hop artist and producer Zinc XD used our innate incapacity for honesty as the muse for his stormer of a latest single, NO TIES.

NO TIES breaks boundaries with its intricately exotic instrumentals and sniping lyrical wit that puts the independent 100% DIY artist leagues above the rest. Few push the experimental envelope further than Zinc XD with his melodic electronic sequencing that effortlessly complements his vocal style, which allows you to bask in the charisma in his expression.

After playing around with drums, guitars and lyrics since the age of 6, Zinc XD waited until he was 17 to launch his debut. Many would believe that is still too early to boast a matured sound; to that, I would say just press play and drink in the colourful mellifluous flow of this new wave hit.

Stream NO TIES on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Zackwa is on his own experimental plateau in ‘All Praise and Glory’

With the fluid transitions between the Prince-Esque vocalised harmonies and the blazing rap bars that are just as convictive as RZA’s, Zackwa’s latest single, All Praise and Glory transcends the constrictive nature of genre boundaries. That is before you account for the experimental accordance in the ambient electronica meets new age hip hop instrumentals.

Zackwa strives to rise above the mundane energy of the world, and it’s safe to say he is not only in another league. He is operating from a new dynamic plateau, constructed by his autonomy and inclination to verse introspective gold into the strained atmosphere of the 21st century.

Check out the lyric video for All Praise and Glory on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The future of hip hop arrived in Gud Cyrus’ spacey electro debut album, Until Next Time.

Mississauga, ON-hailing artist and songwriter Gud Cyrus is fresh from the release of his dynamic hotly-anticipated debut album, Until Next Time. For new fans, the standout single, Anomaly, is the best introduction to Cyrus’ evocatively spacey signature style that hasn’t failed to attract international attention.

After an ethereal prelude that feels like it has just crawled out of a David Lynch film (in the best possible way), Anomaly starts to unravel as an intriguingly experimental feat of urban ingenuity. Anomaly takes the evolution of hip hop one step further into the future with the glitchy and scattered effects that would be jarring if the grooves in the track didn’t cut so deep.

Gud Cyrus’ album is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

X-Man speaks for the outliers in his pioneeringly impassioned alt-hip hop single, Can’t Relate

If X-Man goes down in hip hop history as anything less than a pioneer, we haven’t done him enough justice. Immersive may be a word that gets bound around in music reviews, but there are few other ways to allude to the allure of the hooks in his recently released seminal single, Can’t Relate.

X-Man makes it easy for you to instantly find the groove in the smooth canter of the almost spoken-word rap bars that are just as magnetic as Snoop Dogg’s. When it comes to the beats, X-Man cooked up a concoction of hip hop and playfully melodic video-game-style electronica. With the harsh snares snapping against the dreamy beats, there is plenty of texture to sink into as X-Man makes being unrelatable relatable.

You can check out Can’t Relate for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JoeJas took high vibe hip hop to new heights with 2 Truck J

Alt hip hop artist, JoeJas, has dropped his most experimental track to date with 2 Truck J. Like many hip hop artists, he finds influence in the jazzy grooves of old school hip hop, but he goes far beyond assimilation with the dark and discordant electronica textures that he throws into his high vibe tracks.

With the Pokemon and Mario references in the bars, there is no denying there is a hint of nerdcore nestled in here, but JoeJas retains his convictive cool right up until the outro. 2 Truck J is one of those tragically rare tracks that uplift through their sheer eccentricity. It is no surprise that JoeJas has amassed over 48k streams on Spotify alone with some of his top tracks.

2 Truck J is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get high with P.F’s electrifying trap track Opium

Up and coming hip hop artist P.F’s latest 3-track release, ULTRA OMEGA RUBY ZERO POINT FIVE, is as avant-garde as hip hop gets. The lead track, Opium, kicks off with bruising lashings of bass reverberating around scuzzy and harsh instrumentals, which merge trap, shoegaze and chiptune.

The use of sonic walls of noise to achieve the same level of disquietedness that is in the tormented lyrics was nothing short of genius on P.F’s side. He has all the potential to go viral with his electrifying releases that are visceral enough to act as a sign of the times. If this is the future of hip hop, we are here for it.

Check out Opium and the rest of P.F’s tracks via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Wordplay turns into a lyrical riot in Zay Gatsby’s standout single, ‘Ain’t Finished’.

A year on from his debut release, hip hop artist Zay Gatsby is here to remind us that he ‘Ain’t Finished’, with the standout single from their latest album, ‘New Reign’.

His experimentation with wordplay practically ends up as a literary riot as he playfully, domineeringly lays down metaphors left right and centre in the upraising track that pulls from a myriad of hip hop, electronica and soul styles.

With old school urban grit, trippy trap textures and glitchy beats, Ain’t Finished offers a vibe that you’ll definitely want to introduce to your playlists.

New Reign is now available to stream and purchase via Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Prince Jonez has asserted his authenticity through his tribally entrancing instrumental mix ‘Planet Balloonz’.

Singer-songwriter and producer, Prince Jonez has released his debut album, Lovechild of XII Eraz, delve in and you’ll see how intense and atmospheric instrumental hip hop can be when left in the hands of an artist committed to ensuring that synapses fire at the request of their experimental trip hop.

Sunny staccato rhythms gently coalesce with tribal drum rolls and glitchy beats that weave a little trip-hop into the mix as it steadily gains momentum and picks up discordant alt-rock nuances along the way.

What Porcupine Tree is to alt-rock, Prince Jonez is to hip hop. They may be fresh from their inception, but the Chicago-based artist already exhibits an enviable ability to construct all-consuming aural experiences.

You can check out Prince Jonez’s instrumental mix for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK rap artist Mulini imparts inspiration through their latest single ‘Keep Moving’ featuring GSQ2

Mulini

In a time when it feels impossible to maintain any amount of motivation, UK hip hop artist and producer, Mulini’s latest single, ‘Keep Moving’ featuring GSQ2 is worth its weight in aural gold.

The sombre tonality of the track ensures that it efficaciously communicates with those who can benefit from the resilience-imparting introspection while keeping just enough energy in the instrumentals to give Keep Moving a galvanising kick.

The harsh reverberant electronic hum beneath the quiescently delivered rap bars add even more weight and brevity to the release which emotionally hits hard enough that you may just feel bruised by the time you reach the outro.

Keep Moving was officially released on February 19th, check it out on YouTube via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast