My first EP review of the month of April! And this honour goes to a pair of artists I’ve never heard of till now. It will never cease to amaze me how often I discover and how often they surprise me! So with that in mind, let’s get into it!
This is the brand-new EP by MC Benefit and Producer Thvnos, and they come packed with four tracks with 12 minutes of content!
Across this tape, we have some pretty high-end and lavish production. Let’s start with the opening track -Cruel Eyes, which is a fantastic way to start the project off! On this one, we have this blend of chipmunk-style vocal harmonies combined with this trap-style beat that is the definition of ‘infectious’. You’ve got a combination of those synth-style chord progressions, thudding drums, and some fat bass that synchronises with the other instrumentation in such a profound way that it all comes together to create an anthem-like rhythm that I could imagine hearing in clubs and on radio!
On track two -Goblin King, we have a more refined and melodically paced track that feels harmonic and surreal all at once. First of all, I love the homage to David Bowie in the lyricism! As a massive fan, it makes me happy to hear it. As far as the instrumentation goes, we have these elegant chords that have a hint of sombre energy to them! These come equipped with more rhythmic drums and more bass! Similar things as the first beat but with a more low-pitched vibe to it that I fucked with heavily!
On track three -Labyrinth Center, this one is probably the most haunting and eerie of the whole lot! This one has these vampiric chords that make me think of Count Dracula in its progression! Those are combined with these sickening drums and bass! There’s also these separate keys going off in the background that give this song a mystical sense to it!
I also love the cuts and scratches on this one that give an old-school vibe to it!
On track four – Bog of Internal Stench, we have a rather atmospheric aura with the combination of those delicate and fast-paced keys that actually come equipped with two tones! In the intro, they are a bit deeper in tone, but as the song evolves, the keys become more high-pitched in execution, which is such an interesting switch-up that I was impressed with!
On top of these, we have some of the heavier drums on the whole EP! This whole track feels like a theatrical conclusion to the entire thing. It also sounds like there are some muffled vocal harmonies in the background, but I’m pretty sure that’s just the effect of instrumentation!
On the MC front, I love how it stays focused on the theme at hand, which is obviously David Bowie’s (The Labyrinth), and firstly, this is the only time I’ve seen any rapper or artist use this film as a concept, and two to do so in such a way that it actually dignifies the film with real verses and clips dedicated to the film (not just using the film name for clout or attention).
Across these 12 minutes, Benefit doesn’t waste a single second and provides some of the most interesting, vivid, and memorable verses of the year. His fluency on the beat, his passionate telling of bars and lines that directly relate to the film in hand, and the way he carries himself overall on the EP were so fun to listen to!
You can tell this was a passion project for him, one he actually wanted to put his whole heart and soul into, and he did! You can hear the excitement and the kid from his youth days coming to life in the words and the performance!
I love how he’s able to handle essentially four different moods across the production and work around it. He doesn’t sound stale or awkward; he utilises the various instrumentals and works around them and puts his own spin on it! He showcases his smartness by tweaking his rapping ever so slightly for each song to make the performances that much more in sync and harmonious across the tape, and that takes cunning and skill!
Of course, features on here make you feel his presence at full force. He’s obviously carrying the EP, and we get to hear just how well he can handle himself and makes such an impressive impact that it made me an instant fan of him!
Whether you’re a fan of the classic film or not, this is a score you HAVE to check out just for the chemistry alone. It makes for one of the most entertaining listens you’ll hear, period!
https://open.spotify.com/album/4QomwRKD1FICYFYwm46DjG?si=Gvejq1_ySTCmAlsPlRoUEw
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