(LateNightSwim Vol.2)

It’s never a bad time to discover a new artist! And this one feels like it’s going to be interesting. From the album title to the cover art, sometimes you can just feel when something is about to stun you (in a good way), and today is one of those days! So let’s get into it!

This is the brand-new album by MC -MiyagiSun and Producer GhostXMachine, with a total of 13 tracks and 37 minutes of content. I was curious to see what direction this project would take me in, and when I finally found out, I was honestly surprised, and here’s why: 

First of all, let’s talk about the MC side of things! This man has a really compelling way of rapping. He reminds me of Earl Sweatshirt in some ways (but with his own style and delivery). The smooth and nonchalant behaviour on the mic was one key giveaway.

He sounds like a man who has seen it all and been through it all and is here to tell his story, desensitised by what life has given up so far, which creates his cold-blooded delivery!

I love how his vocals match the rather hypnotic production! It’s as if they are one and the same. He’s able to manipulate the instrumentals to further emphasise his wordplay and make each word he spits feel that much more impactful! Come to think of it, this album reminds me of that brief few years where ‘Lo-Fi’ rap ruled the world. A very niche subgenre one that not many people I fuck with fucked with, but one that I enjoyed, and this is definitely reminiscent of that with the smooth vocal performances and the low-energy cadence!

I also like when I discover a new artist and there are no features to ruin the verbal aesthetic the main artist is trying to set up! Obviously, they don’t know it’s my first time hearing them, but for me, it helps me dive deep into the main rapper’s flow, lyricism, wordplay, penmanship, the whole nine yards, and help me gauge the artist, and based on this project alone, I can definitely appreciate and respect what he was going for!

As far as the production goes, this is some of the most introspective, Lo-Fi and atmospheric instrumentals I’ve heard in a minute. The whole 37 minutes literally feel like a ‘Late Night Swim’ with gorgeous instrumentation and surreal chanting vocals that make me feel like I’m tripping on the strongest strain of bud you’ve ever seen!

A few stand-out tracks to me are as follows: 

-Bi Han: This track was the definition of phenomenal! I almost passed out listening to this one for its relaxed, tribal and acoustic nature. This literally has nothing but acoustic strings and these haunting vocals that make you feel like you’re out during midnight listening to a monk singing tales of his homeland while you’re passed around the craziest hallucinogens you’ve ever had.

There’s the track -Harvati Papi: This song has a beautiful Jazz quality to it that I just adored! From those melodic Jazz horns to those rhythmic drum

beats that come together in this minimal yet powerful track that I found myself returning to over and over again! 

I also love how there’s some subtle piano involved if you really pay attention towards the end of the track! Absolutely killer.

Another track I loved was -Magneta Rose Ceiling because this feels like a fusion between Jazz and Acoustic! From those lively Jazz keys that soothe the heart and soul combined with those sharp strings and some light bass that come together to create another stripped-back track that you can’t help but feel in your DNA. The type of track to take away all your stress and worries and throw them out the window! 

Look, I can’t guarantee that this will be EVERYONE’s favourite type of sound because that would be a lie. I’m here to cover what I love and what I find appealing and to me this sound is exactly what I needed. That refreshing, melodic instrumentation combined with that effortless borderline cold performance that makes you feel like you’re gliding through clouds!

All I can ask is that you give this one a chance and see how you feel! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0ZvFgCeLYMB5SsdzMHgpdZ?si=xOaDP2j-TM6rWIPIaDgFSw

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