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Rap

Music

Cultures collide in Gullypabs and Trizzac’s Drill track ‘Zone 2 in Spain’

Posted on 1 December 2020

‘Zone 2 in Spain’ is the chill-inducingly dominant Drill track by South East London artist, Gullypabs, and Spanish Drill trailblazer, Trizzac. Despite its very recent release, it’s well on its way to going viral.

There’s ferocity behind each venom-laced syllable as collaborative chemistry effervesces between the dual Rap bars. To create the perfect platform as cultures collide in this gritty yet sun-soaked hit which runs through with blissfully escapism-aiding exoticism, the melodic beats are minimalistic but serve to create a grippingly intense atmosphere which will hook you in from the first scathingly charismatic verse.

If the grind in this heated hit doesn’t you adrenalized, you can assume that you’re a little dead inside.

You can check out the official video which dropped on November 18th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast.

Music

Orange Joe has delivered an off the Richter Hip Hop hard-hitter with ‘Royal Blue’

Posted on 30 November 2020

Bounding into play like an excitable puppy chasing its own tail and looking expectantly for belly-rubs comes Orange Joe’s ‘Royal Blue’, all 1’43” of Akon-meets-Arrested Development grooving hip hop charm. It grinds, it’s got serious flow, there’s humour and irony in the lyrics but there’s serious bump’n’grind in the track too.

‘Royal Blue’ is audacious, full of pep and vitality, a proper party hip hop summer track, all lowrider and air-suspension of a tune with lift and drop and full-on, funky in-your-face charm.

See the video for ‘Royal Blue’ on YouTube; check out Orange Joe, and the Purple Spirit project, here.

Review by Alex Holmes

Music

Feeling that spark again: ‘Misery’ from Kozy is a fire debut from the young Hip Hop artist

Posted on 28 November 2020

Dropping your debut track is a stressful experience but new indie-rapper Kozy makes it looks easy on the exuberantly performed ‘Misery’. The youthful beat sweeps into your living room with reckless abandon, making your body sway back and forth.

His fast delivery puts Uber Eats to shame as he dynamically drives in with a new school rap style that is a pleasurable listen. This is about having a huge crush on that girl that is so mysterious and cute that you can’t take your eyes off her. The fascinating tattoos draw you in even deeper and you can’t stop thinking about her, your body shivers when you are together and your heart is in a happy place.

He knows that she is perhaps not the long-term girl that is good for him, but for now and especially after a miserable year; this is exactly what is needed to replenish that desire to be with someone exciting again.

The beat is busty and consistent on this new single. It matches the goals of the young artist with a flow that is quality and keeps you in the story the whole way though. There are no cheap gimmicks here and the structure is a spectacular result.

‘Misery’ from Kozy is a new entry that we need to respect and following his journey will be a wild ride. Finding that special soul is not easy and meeting others that can teach you things until you are ready, is what 2020 is all about.

Hear this fire Hip Hop track on his Spotify and find out more about Kozy on his IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Music

Ki$ama’s Foreign Cars is a gritty, dirty message to a broken heart.

Posted on 28 November 2020

Who doesn’t love a good, gritty ode to dreaming and aspiration and a message to a lost heart? All of us, surely, if only so we can feel better about ourselves for a few minutes? With Ki$ama’s ‘Foreign Cars’, we get the story of deceit and devotion, a modern freestyling hip hop tale of betrayal and requital over a trappy, chiming beats background.

From Ki$ama’s ‘Passages For The Broken’ album, ‘Foreign Cars’ has a dark, dirty vocal, all damage and desire and a yearning to prove oneself after duplicity and abandonment. It’s doomy and menacing in places, a clear shout of self-betterment in the ‘So many times you broke my heart/ One day I’ll be in foreign cars’ lyric which forms the chorus hook. It’s kind of rancorous without crossing the line into hateful, and there’s a clear hopefulness in the appetite for amelioration and progress pasted throughout the lyrics.

You can follow Ki$ama on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Music

US Rap artist Threeseven delivers inspiring resilience with ‘Due Time’

Posted on 27 November 2020

With dark and bouncy light textures all interweaving in the colossal new drop ‘Due Time’ from Rap legend Threeseven, you’ll be immersed from the first verse.

From there on out, you’ll be locked into the masterful grind which follows a mesmeric pace, making it impossible not to get locked into the introspective-deep lyrics. If you want to hear what raw convictive resilience sounds like, hit play and find out.

Without any hint of self-aggrandized ego, Threeseven serves pure determination through the lyrics in Due Time. It really is only a matter of time before big things start to happen for them and their evocatively compelling sound.

You can check out Due Time for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

B.A. Talks – Ysl: A Grimey Take on the High-Life

Posted on 26 November 2020

‘Ysl’ is the second release to drop from trailblazing Rap artist B.A. Talks, with elements of Grime in the EDM Hip Hop production, the beats are just as domineering as B.A. Talks’ feverishly multilingual vocals.

Not only is the monocultural mould shattered with Ysl, but the artist also melds a myriad of stylic elements from across the urban aural spectrum to ensure that nothing about it feels assimilative. From Drill to Grime to Trap, it’s all there in a stylistic rhythmic storm. Additionally, you’d be hard-pressed to find an artist projecting just as much passion into their music. He’s definitely one to watch.

Ysl is available to stream via all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

Cigarra – Deathwish (Prod. Blingbwoy and Sammyboy)

Posted on 25 November 2020

Starting with a lovely chilled sampled voiceover before the gorgeous trappy beats kick in, Cigarra’s ‘Deathwish’ is one-and-a-half minutes of perfect old-school hip hop, all laid back vocal over spangly, sparkly sequenced melody and sublime gated snare beats.

CIgarra hails from Tampa, Florida, and ‘Deathwish’ has that beautiful, relaxed West Coast vibe, all summery flow and carefree, breezy composition. Free and easy without ever feeling over-nonchalent, ‘Deathwish’ is a scintillating, vivacious bite of accomplished art which truly showcases Cigarra’s musical craft.

Hear ‘Deathwish’ on Soundcloud, and follow Cigarra on Instagram and YouTube.

Review by Alex Holmes

Music

NA$A takes mindful Hip Hop to the next level with his sophomore release ‘O.G.’

Posted on 23 November 2020

Brisbane-based, Auckland-hailing Rap artist NA$A dropped their second release, O.G. on November 20th, which takes mindful Hip Hop to the next level. In turn, the sophomore release allowed NA$A to establish himself as an essential artist to add to your high-vibe Hip Hop playlists.

The bass behind the trancey EDM Hip Hop beats allow the instrumentals to parallel the energy which NA$A vocally brought to the high-octane mix which isn’t just accessible from the first hit. You’ll become transfixed by the rhythmically convictive progressions as they weave through the infectious yet intricate melodies.

In essence, O.G. is an invitation to realise your responsibility to make big things happen. Not just for yourself, but for those closest to you too. All this is done through a nostalgic throwback to hood days and recognising the trials and tribulations which many people need to overcome. There’s a nuanced recognition that not everyone shares the same vantage point in life, but that’s no reason why you can’t strive for success – whichever form you want that to manifest in.

With the way in which NA$A addresses morality and mindfulness in a religious context while not alienating atheists or faith followers, he sets an incredible example of how music can be the ultimate unifying tool.

The short and soulfully sweet drop is set to make a massive impact on the airwaves, and with plenty of forthcoming releases in the pipeline,  you’ll definitely want the trailblazing artist on your radar.

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

Stay up to date with NA$A’s latest releases by following him via Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

Casablanca the Gawd attacks systematic inequality in their dilligently façade-less single ‘Animosity’

Posted on 19 November 2020

Ahead of the release of their highly-anticipated forthcoming album, ‘Soon Before Winter’, Buffalo, NY-hailing Hip Hop artist Casablanca the Gawd released their façade-less gritty Hip Hop single ‘Animosity’.

The harrow of systematic inequality profoundly hits as Casablanca runs through their bars which take the gloss off the gangster lifestyle which far too many artists attempt to glamourise. With each syllable delivered, you’ll hear the vehemence towards the state of the socio-political climate which consistently leaves people unable to rise up from under-privilege.

It’s impossible not to find respect for Casablanca the Gawd and their tendency not to mask the pain which inspires their tracks with grandiosity or aggression. The raw emotion may not be easy to swallow, but the last thing the airwaves needs is another superficial sugared pill.

You can check out the official video to Animosity which dropped on November 4th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

Anomaly Da’ God melds minimalistic Hip Hop with poetry in ‘Spoken Word’

Posted on 19 November 2020

Mindful and gently inspiring lyricism takes the lead in up and coming Hip Hop artist Anomaly Da’ God’s standout single ‘Spoken Word’ which dropped earlier this year.

Spoken Word transcends archetypal vibe-out Hip Hop by offering rhythmic catharsis which will leave you mellow, while the meta lyricism will set your synapses alight as it allows you to realise that it doesn’t matter how insane 2020 gets, if you’re operating on a higher level, you’ll still be able to achieve a level of zen. More pertinently, Anomaly Da’ God serves a melodic reminder that external chaos is no excuse to put your aspirations on hold.

The ambiently minimalistic dreamy beats give plenty of room for the wisdom to resonate in the slow tempo mix which definitely should be considered for your sanity-saving playlists.

You can check out Spoken Word by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast