The grime lord is back in the building! I’ve lost count of what number album this is for him now, but regardless, with every new release, he’s showcasing a new side of him and doing so in powerful fashion! So let’s talk about it!
Brand new EP by the legend himself, REEK OSAMA! Part of his incredible steamroll run of projects in 2025, and this time around, he’s partnering with producer $AVEME, and together they drop six tracks and 12 minutes of pure, unadulterated energy!
Now let’s start with the production! This time around, I get a more abstract and ambient feel than any other release by Reek this year! For example, you have the track ‘No Luv’, which has this instrumental energy with a beautifully crafted soul sample that’s repeated over gospel organ, violin, and light drums! It’s easily the most subtle I’ve heard Reek use, and that goes into the track
‘Angel$’, which features these distorted, almost electronic notes. These sci-fi-inspired long chords in different octaves! Alongside these hypnotic drums and synth chords that give this a bit of a ‘Deadmau5’ feel.
Which I know is weird to reference for an underground rap album, but that’s what it reminds me of, and I love the switch-up in sounds!
But then you have tracks like ‘Nile Green’, which has such a mesmerising beat! It’s hard to pinpoint the influence, but as abstract as this may sound, it reminds me of a ‘Forest Swords’ album, specifically the album ‘Compassion’ in those short, deep chanting aspect vocals with those long and skeletal chords!
This album has so many versatile elements that I’ve never heard Reek use before that it’s actually left me stumped on how to describe this album. If you’ve never heard any of those artist comparisons I mentioned above, then I draw this album down as ‘Deep, meditative electronic music vibe’ with subtle hip-hop and soul elements.
It’s very different and phenomenal at the same time!
Now onto Reek. The music itself might be switched up, but one man who never does is Reek. He could be wrapping over the ‘Xtreme Dinosaurs’ theme song and still sound the grittiest in the room. He’s always on his boss underworld shit, and performance is as savage as ever!
Instead of sounding awkward over these diverse beats, he reigns over them like the devil controlling gods earth with a sharp eye and a breath of fire! He’s always watching and always ready to smoke any song/verse that comes his way!
Once again, he’s rocking no features in this 12-minute massacre and doing so with cold-hearted precision, sharp lyricism, and wordplay so bloody you’ll be left stained for life. Listening to Reek perform is like walking through the toughest streets at midnight and hoping for the best.
It feels dangerous and raw and the kind of experience you couldn’t hope to forget! Even over this original score, his ruthless presence and overwhelming adlibs on the beats make for a most remarkable and relentless performance!
Once again, a massive W for the Osama. It seems no matter who he’s paired with, he can’t hope to fail! If you want to hear Reek like you’ve NEVER heard him before, then peep this!
https://open.spotify.com/album/3UKRHS112dSoNkX5shb52d?si=6miTuc-lTFWdq2wiDs4RuQ
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