(Slash Coast 2)

The day has finally arrived! Of one of the most anticipated records of the year that also serves as an anticipated sequel, one that had everyone on the edge of their seats waiting to see if it can match the original, and after going back to listen to the first, I can tell you with no hesitation that this one is every bit as solid (even better) as the original! Let’s get into it!

This is the massive release by MC Coast LoCastro and producer Johnny Slash as they return for a huge, critical drop that has everyone on notice! Accompanied by the likes of 

-Apathy 

-Lil Dee

-Little Vic

-Mister Misk

-Chubs

-Marley B

And I can’t say this enough, this thing is EXPLOSIVE! I loved every second of this. From the first track – Mean While In Gotham, we are introduced to the heavy production by Johnny and the trademark brash performances, and they mesh with better chemistry than 95% of the game out there; it’s absolutely unreal! Across these 11 tracks, we have a definition of the most no-nonsense, intense, in-your-face, grimy, and disrespectful rendition of underground boom-bap I’ve heard in a minute!

Each track feels more surreal than the rest. It’s raw in a genuine sense that most fail to capture. Johnny has such a unique way with beats where he turns any instrumental into a sharp and rugged experience that forces the listener to scrunch their face up and mean-mug the word for exactly 38 minutes.

You lose track of time listening to this because it feels like a whirlwind of grotesque production, filthy instrumentation, and defiling soundscapes that cut you on the way out track to track!

Johnny Slash is rocking in his prime right now. Since the start of this year, he has showcased some of the most impressive and mind-blowing production we’ve heard in 2026. Utilising the combination of authentic, gritty boom-bap and explosive, raw energy that comes together in a way no other producer is rocking! I reviewed the first two tracks off this album, and I wondered just how dominant he’d be on the full length, and as to no surprise to me or anyone, he outdid himself somehow yet again! 

Man, Castro. There aren’t many who rap like him! He’s truly an unrighteous enigma all to himself! Since I first discovered him last year, he has continued to surprise me with each drop. I think it’s his special brand of rude, brash bully rap. This man is a literal menace on the beats! He doesn’t give about my feelings, your feelings, or anyone else’s; he’s just out for himself, and to hear that level of intensity on a beat is honestly refreshing!

He’s coming into this with a new batch of killer mindset, ridiculous and over-the-top rhyme schemes, memorable wordplay, and a verbal assault so deadly it’s even beyond R+18! Each verse he spits is disgustingly efficient! It’s as if he’s letting all his primal thoughts and intentions spill onto the mic (and I’ll tell you now, it’s not for the faint of heart).

He’s the supervillain of the underground. A truly gifted rapper whose aim is to destroy his competitors and leave himself on top!

With the handful of names that can actually match his style and energy, they all come together to further emphasise the dark and gritty atmosphere this record provides! Each man has their own unique and colourful verse who create fantastic chemistry with both Castro and Johnny that leaves a memorable impression on the listener! 

Definitely one of the strongest drops of 2026 so far. It’s dirty, killer, and powerful in every single way. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a duo as dominant as them! Check it out below! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/7vBpxXC5ZRlIEVhfeRNuoB?si=udsmdq3OQBGlSof03l4c7g

(Go Pro)

It’s been a solid minute since I last covered this MC. I’m curious to see what he’s been up to and most importantly how he’s elevated his style since! With any great artist, it’s all about consistency and dynamics and I feel this one has both! So let’s get into it!

This is the 25 November 2025 drop by MC Tha Professor and Producer Mr. ilango and together they drop this 12-track, 25-minute project featuring the likes of 

-Spade

-H4z4rdous 

-K.O.Strat 

-Le Zeppo

-Bo Gottaeat

-west_avenue

What’s ear-catching to this record is it‘s ‘cinematic production’ a theme that runs rampant across all aspects of the album but no more evidently than in the beats themselves! It’s truly remarkable.

The 26-minute score oozes confidence, it’s brash, heavy, in your face, fantastical, powerful and deep all at the same! Utilising only the most elegant and thrilling moments of sound to create this soundtrack!

The fact is, it all runs like one cohesive and fluent piece of art. It’s like those classic mafia films (pick your favourite director) and how even though there’s a handful of songs playing throughout it all connects and works in harmony! That’s the exact same vibe I’m getting on this one.

I love how cold and calculated the music feels, from track one it’s like you’re stepping into a fast-paced world of money, violence with danger on every corner! The feeling of pure adrenaline is unmatched and makes you feel untouchable (for exactly 25 minutes) until the album’s run length.

A truly remarkable effort by ilango as his mission to bring the music to life ends in success.

That same cause for celebration can be given to Tha Professor as he once again showcases why he’s the one to look out. Since it’s been so long since I last covered him, I completely forgot about his mannerisms, his deep tone, his deadly nature on the mic and his overall killer charisma but this album helps me see everything clearly and a reminder of just how much he’s grown!

Across these 12 tracks, we get a masterclass of rap from a man who has spent his career being one of the more ‘underrated’ names across the underground, one who never ceases to impress and one who never misses the mark (both are true in this case) because all the traits that made him such a valuable character in the culture have been amplified tenfold!

His energy and aura are at an all-time high! The way he can travel across these beats so effortlessly was a thing to witness. His vivid imagery and the way he was able to paint you a picture that you could actually envision and place yourself in was unreal.

The way he’s able to wrap and manipulate his wordplay across the beats and not conform to a linear way of rapping was phenomenal to listen to! 

Hell, his brash intensity was evident of his growth and investment in himself across the years! He’s confident, he knows he’s the man and he’s not shy on letting the world know!

Of course, not alone on this album, he hand-picks more of the most underrated names the culture has, and each of them proves without a shadow of a doubt why they should be on your watch list moving forward. Each with their own individual styles, each elevating the tracks they were on as well as lighting up the album as a whole!

Although this is an album from last year, I ask you, dear reader. PLEASE give this a listen as it highlights exactly why the underground is the premier location for Hip Hop!!

https://open.spotify.com/album/1rXmMGlG8uCS4tXZFdQM9h?si=-CtN0Ow-RKGpsby2WzZi0w

(CLOCKWORK HELL)

Looks like we are back on the aggressive edge for this man! Since I’ve discovered him, he’s utilised a whole range of sounds and influences across a handful of albums and singles, and now he’s back in the grime to give the culture one of the most muddy tracks you’ll hear in 2026! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new single by MC B1 The Architect, also produced by B1 and featuring the MC Flashbang Jimmy with cuts from D-Rec, and together they drop a solid 2 minutes and 44 seconds of pure, unadulterated carnage that doesn’t even give the listener time to breathe! Let’s get into why!

Firstly, let’s talk about the MC at hand. When you have a collaboration of this magnitude, it’s only natural to expect greatness, and that’s EXACTLY what we are given here today! 

Both B1 and Jimmy provide a masterclass in rhythm, wordplay, lyricism, charisma, and performance. The important distinction for all these names to mention is the fact that they all have their own styles and original verses that help them stand out from one another. I know B1 is smart enough to realise that no good would come out of having two of the same copy on the same track, and that’s why I’m so glad he not only found one of the dopest spitters in the underground but also one of the most stand-out as well! 

Each man brings absolute FIRE on this beat, killer bars, clever puns, vivid lyrics, verbal assaults that can match the best of them! This really feels like they were going for a literal ‘Bars Over Bullshit’ approach, and it fucking worked. They milked this beat for all it was worth, and it makes for a grimy and hard-hitting listen!

Speaking of HARD HITTING, we have this beat. This one is a showstopper, No Heart Break Kid. I love the dark orchestra feel to it! With those heavy plucked strings combined with those looming/eerie subtle keys that chime off in the background!

Combine all that with those sci-fi inspired atmosphere and hypnotic drum patterns, with that disturbing ambient abstract ambiance, and you’ve got an instrumental that might be prison adjacent if you listen to this at the wrong time of day! It’s absolutely MURDEROUS!

I can’t remember the last beat B1 produced, but this has to be THE DARKEST I’ve heard of his production work! 

I love how he incorporated those faint old-school scratches and DJ parts to give it a late 80’s feel, but besides that, this thing is all brutal and god-forsaken, and mixed with the heavy-handed lyricism, you’ve got a recipe for destruction!

It ain’t for the faint of heart, but if you’re a real one for the culture, you’ll feel this one in your fucking bones! The link will be below, go listen NOW! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3P9WZNVI4kJ9jUatMaWoo7?si=do0OWcThRQeIxUzImz1_bw

(HELLOKITTY)

As I was listening to this single on YouTube, I saw someone comment the best and most perfect compliment to this MC, ‘The Female Hidden Character’, and I never really made the connection until now, but it FITS! She really is, and having one on the roster is already deadly enough, but now the female equivalent? It’s a wrap. Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new single by MC CHYNA BAEJING and producer BONEWESO, and together they drop this two minutes and 18 seconds of absolutely chaotic brilliance that is sure to get you grooving! 

Let’s start off with CHYNA herself! If I thought she was electric before? She proved me wrong 10x fold across this track! She’s stepped it up to a whole new dimension (or should I say an extra 23) because she’s downright incredible! 

From the second this song starts, she’s off with the races! She’s turned into a structural wizard, manipulating her wordplay, bending her lyricism to wrap around the beat, and shooting verbal shots that land anywhere she wants!

She ain’t tied down to a linear rhyming pattern. She’s all over the place (in the best way possible), combining her infectious charisma with her colourful personality and statically charged vocabulary that all comes together in this fun, charged-up performance that is undoubtedly one of the most memorable you’re gonna hear all year! 

What’s exciting is the edition of the feature who is none other than ‘THE HIDDEN CHARACTER’, who helps close the track off with his notorious brand of off-the-wall performances and unique flow that makes his verses not only memorable but original! As soon as you hear his voice, you know it’s him, and he delivers another masterclass of MC work on this track!

When discussing the instrumental, I knew it was going to be good, but I didn’t know it was going to be this GOOD! Holy shit, when I spoke to Bone on our interview, he said he can’t even make trash, and it shows! Every single beat is a modern-day classic, and this one even more so! The fucking atmosphere of this one is so incredibly rich and vibrant that it’s unlike any hip-hop beat I’ve heard all year (or last year for that matter).

On this one, we hear a more rock/metal influence on the beat! You’ve got those hypnotic drum patterns paired with those two variations of electric guitar strings! One at the forefront in that loop, the other appearing every 30-40 seconds to give a more free-flow form! 

This whole track comes through like a work of art! It’s groovy, intense, melodic, fantastical, and it has a certain charge about it. The type of music to give you goosebumps and force you to literally ‘rock the beat’. It’s the perfect soundscape for these two incredible MC’s to go off on and again. If this is the sign of things to come for the full length, I can’t even imagine how good that’s going to be!

So, come on. Click the link below and listen to what is undoubtedly going to be one of the DOPEST singles you’ll hear all year! 

https://youtu.be/E3A88AXmtxY?si=aLgX34HX46o-FSab

(FlyBlackmanExperience)

Do you (the audience) want to know how many albums I consider ‘special’ based on the first minute of an album? Very few. I could tell based on the first few seconds how unique this album was going to be, and it took me by surprise. Not because I was expecting it to be ass, but because of the level of growth, vision, and sheer originality shown by this man who I listed as one of my ‘most  improved in 2025’, and so far, he hasn’t let me down in the slightest! So without further delay, let’s get into this incredible album!

This is the brand-new extravaganza by MC FLYG and Producer Bojar! Two men I’ve had lots of experience with in the past. Both have been great supporters of my website and IG, both stand out guys to say the least! But on this one, they have decided to switch the culture on its head completely and do something I haven’t heard anyone in the underground do before!

So, in a nutshell. To give the audience some history (as I had to study prior to this review), this is an album sonically and stylistically inspired by the one and only Don Blackman. A super influential Jazz-Funk Pianist, Singer, and Songwriter who worked with the very best the industry had to offer. 

And on this tape, both Bojar and FLYG have decided to reignite his soul and spirit into an album that’s so rich and powerful, groovy, and funky that you almost forget you’re listening to a Hip Hop album! (Because partially you’re not) you’re stepping into the essence of Don Blackman through the hands and voice of the new generation, and if that ain’t a powerful example of homage, I don’t know what is!

Let’s get the beautifully elegant elephant in the room talked about first. THE PRODUCTION! My fucking god. To all the OG cats out there, you know the vibe and goosebumps you get when you play a classic 80’s record? Whatever your poison is: 

-Don Blackman

-Prince

-Funkadelic

-Rick James

-Bobby Brown

You name it, you know what I’m talking about. Those hypnotic and infectious grooves that live in your head rent-free for life. THIS IS THAT EXACT SAME VIBE! And we get it from track one! On track -Y.D.D. with those sticky plucked bass chords, those surreal drums, various glistening key progressions in the background, and that old-school style chorus with the anthem-style vocal harmonies!

This sounds exactly ripped from the 80s, and the entire record sounds just as clean, crisp, and nostalgic with an obvious modern execution to the album!

This whole album runs like a fluent score, unlike anything I’ve heard all year. In the same respect that you wouldn’t hear an awkward break or random pause before each song, it’s the same point here! You’ve got that masterful production with the clear-cut engineering to create a soundtrack that’s equal parts groovy and gorgeous! 

Whether you’re talking about the track -HOLDING YOU, which has these beautiful piano keys that have an angelic elegance to them with that slick bass, soft jazz drums, and those light vocal harmonies in the background that reinforce that beautiful atmosphere! 

Or the song -SINCE YOU’VE BEEN AWAY, which is a classic Funk/Soul Ballet-style instrumental. You’ve got those methodically paced bass strings, with that classic P-Funk synth scattering chords (that most new gen would associate with G-Funk), you’ve got those minimal/bare drum patterns that loop across the track exquisitely! As well as that looped vocal snippet that feels like velvet across the track, absolutely incredible!

I can’t stress this enough, this is GOD-TIER PRODUCTION! I knew Bojar was good (I’ve been covering him since last year), but he turned over a new evolution as far as I’m concerned. Creating what will undoubtedly be a record that won’t be replicated or forgotten anytime soon! (If ever) 

Who else would you except to be capable of making a record of this calibur? I’ll tell you now none. He’s realistically the only one that can pull such an album while maintain the spirit of the legend himself. 

I really shouldn’t be surprised as his whole career in 2025 was full of escalations and elevations unlike any other artist I covered so it only makes sense he made such a massive sonic statement I’m just blown away it was this!

Across this tape we hear FLYG put emphasis on his trademark, clever one liner wordplay. Honestly? There was a handful of lines and set ups on this album even I didn’t get! But I’ve learnt to know better than to question the man as he’s always explaining to me why each bar has its place and how it all works out in the end! 

It feels like he’s purposely trying to lift his game with the amount of complex vocabulary, witty punch lines and clever executions that you might need a few listens over to fully grasp but that’s the magic of his lyricism!

He ain’t making music for idiots. He holds himself to a higher standard and it shows most bright on this one! His charisma is off the charts, his clear delivery and enunciations are crisp and fresh and his ability to take the reigns on the mic and let his natural aura take control of the album and the immense production is at a new level (even since the one I heard last from him last year) a man who doesn’t need features to get over, doesn’t need to talk that street shit or confirm to the overly saturated boom Bap genre he’s always finding new ways to be innovate and he went far and beyond on this one! 

Trust me it’s a given. You ain’t ever gonna find a record like this period. It’s the perfect combination of Tribute meets originality and I can guarantee you if Don could hear this he would be beyond proud! Do yourself a favour and listen below! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5MrulUfPiB0UEFp8JHrjxP?si=dP4Iq0B-Tt-5Zk8ySct8Lw

(DubLyfe)

Yes! This is exactly what I wanted. This is (in my opinion) the best version of this man! The one I first discovered and wish ALL his drops would sound like! I can’t contain my excitement, so with that in mind, let’s talk about it!

This album is the brand new by Sabio Dub! A man who has been at the forefront of that ‘alternative, sunshine rap’ to counter the ever-dominant boom bap takeover! Known for this softer and more melodic sound that can be infectious as hell if listened to properly! And on this one, we get that energy in full force!

Across this tape, we get producers from 

-Nav Sagan

-Kush Coltrane

-Sabio Dub with features from 

-Malhee

-Lord Karu Villain

-Downsky

-FLYG

And to say that this is atmospheric exploration would be the world’s biggest understatement. Because on this one, we hear some of the most organic, beautiful, and soothing instrumentation you’re going to hear anywhere in the game right now! I’m talking about those gorgeous jazz keys, plucked strings, soft drums (and even real breeze sounds on one track).

He’s utilising every endearing and relaxing sound you can think of to create this sonic oasis. A landscape of ideas that have a mesmerising impact and hypnotic effect that makes you want to rest your head and fall into a deep sleep of pure pleasure and happiness!

Although this is only seven tracks and 17 minutes, it feels like half an hour. The way the music pulls you in, the levels of serenity and clarity this music gives you is like the opposite of an adrenaline shot! It’s audible weed, slows you down, helps you see the joys in life, and leaves the problems at the door!

If you were having a stressed day, then this is the record you’d put on! These are the vibes you’ll need. Every track has a methodical pacing to it that’s just a treat to experience. There are no heavy instruments or over-the-top adlibs (not that I don’t fuck with that heavy), but it is refreshing to hear a new spin on the underground genre, a new lane to explore with new adventurous sounds to travel through. This one feels like you’re lying in a hammock next to a giant river with nature sounds all around you! It’s absolutely mind-blowing and exactly what I expected from the ‘Sunshine King’ himself, Sabio!

Speaking of the man. He has never sounded better! What a fucking way to kick off his solo shit. I know he had that incredible breakout trilogy album with MISKEEM, but when he’s by himself, there’s just nothing like it. He’s like the reincarnation of Bob Marley or the real-life Buddha! (At least the Records of Ragnarok one.) He’s letting his immense charisma and natural talent take him across this project as he glides through the production like the same breeze he utilises on the song! 

Everything from his distinctive rhythm, to his immaculate sense of timing on the beat, combined with his whimsical and introspective lyricism, it all makes for a duel-mastered fusion between the performance, wordplay, and instrumentals!

He’s the type of guy that is more than comfortable to lead a record solo! He has the genuine spirit, heart, and passion! It’s as if he’s synced with the music itself. As if he has a universal connection with the particles themselves! Remember how good insane it was to hear ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ or ‘De La Soul’ for the first time back in the day? He gives off the same vibe! Someone who is completely one with everything (not just a MC).

I do gotta say, the features he did bring in were dope choices as they brought the groove and funk to an already high-quality record. Of course, Malhee, a frequent collaborator to my main man FLYG, to close the album off, and everyone in between!

If you ain’t got the $ to pay your dealer at the moment. Don’t fret, just put this on, and best believe it will give you the same vibe! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2y3vyw3UXJmx22kBub6Zlj?si=xqMwbLoVQJK8I2W42-kJxg

(THE ART OF WAR)

It was only last month I discovered this MC and since then I haven’t turned back. He left a strong impression on me and had me anticipating more. Now the day has come and we get to discuss a track that is sure to keep you coming back time and time again! Let’s go!

This is the brand new single by MC LOZEE and Producer Soul.Dope.95. I love how no matter how many reviews I do or how many artists I discover I’m always bound to find more! (This track runs at exactly 3 minutes and 6 seconds) for the record. 

So, let’s talk about the MC work first. Because on this one we hear LOZEE utilise his more smooth and mellowed-out performance to complement this atmospheric beat!

It sounds like he’s soul-searching. As if he’s trying to find within himself the best words to say and what exactly he wants to have placed on this track.

It sounds less like planned studio wordplay and more a day spent in the studio just thinking out loud about life, his journey so far, and his intentions for the future!

He’s got that same trademark vivid lyricism, his more methodical pacing, as well as his more rugged approach to his vocal. He has a tone in his voice the same as a Mickey Diamond or a RJ Payne, a tone that forces you to hang on to anything he says. AND he actually possesses a strong vocabulary, technique, and mastery of words, making him undeniable on the track!

Speaking of undeniable, we have Soul.Dope, a man who I had no experience with prior but one who has blown me away with this instrumental! Firstly, I love how it starts off with some light clapping and cheering! As if making music in front of a live audience! 

As the audience fades, we get into the heart of the song, which is rich in colour, texture, and vibes! 

We are greeted with this soulful excellence in sonic form. You’ve got those two different layers of key progressions! You’ve got those main 4 key notes that loop in the forefront as well as those lighter, glistening chords that are strung in the background! 

We also have some wavering notes subtly in the corner of the song and some light bass and a prominent vocal harmony that comes in and out at will! 

I also love how towards the chorus of the track we have these rare snippets of synth chords that sound Daft Punk adjacent in execution, super groovy and add a thin layer of extra excitement to the song!

All this comes together in the most beautiful and breathtaking way that can’t help but make you feel stress-free and at peace while listening! It’s the kind of beat you can listen to for an hour and never get sick of!

Make sure you give this new track a shot! It’s vibrant, fun and the type of track perfect for after a long day! Link below! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2Hx3rK5HFB5gRcWLJ6kZpi?si=Rmt_eGNmRhibgIYnl_A7iw

(Cinematic Payne)

I’ll be honest, this is a duo I wasn’t expecting to see. Last time I saw this producer, he dropped one of my favourite albums of 2025 with FLYG, and now he’s making an album with an underground icon? Say less, this is all I need to know to read right into this! 

This is the latest album drop by MC RJ Payne and Producer Drega33. Both men dropped a solid seven-track project with 15 minutes of pure, unadulterated adrenaline that is sure to make you feel like doing an hour of heavy exercise while listening to this, thanks to all the energy you’re going to get from the album!

Let’s start with the production. For those who have been following my website up until now, you’ll know that Drega had my ear for a lot of it! Not many had the same level of taste, technique, and personality that was woven into his instrumentals that make you feel like you’re listening to a professional score filled with lavish instrumentation, grand execution, and the most colourful/surreal moments and takes that you’d expect to hear out of million-dollar composers!

As he’s come to trademark in his career, this album is filled with more minimal, layered tracks that Drega works to enable and enhance until each string, chord, and key sound is absolutely immaculate. Each second of the tracks is sharp, vivid, and conducted with the utmost respect and care so that when the audience plays the songs, they feel the love, passion, and conviction! 

He ain’t just making simple beats; his goal is modern-day classics, and I feel these seven tracks are another step forward in that direction!

I love how fluent and rhythmic each track feels; it ain’t just about seven bangers; it’s about seven songs that work tightly with the others before and after it. It means having a cohesive and consistent atmosphere that runs throughout the entirety, and that’s exactly what Drega does here! He doesn’t need 33 tracks to make art; he just needs seven! 

The MC in question doesn’t need any introduction! He’s already a legend in this game, and he’s back to remind the culture exactly who he is, utilising only 15 minutes to get his point across, and boy does he ever! 

Although a short burst of content, it might be his most dynamic in a while! When you know you don’t have the time to waste, you kick it into high gear, and that’s exactly what RJ does on this one!

He barely takes a breath; he’s just straight bars! With his notorious in-your-face attitude, his confrontational nature, and his bold, raw, and brash pen game that can out-rap the best of them (and piss them off at the same time), one of the kings of Bully Rap!

In this album, he’s just shooting his shit, using his experience and knowledge to run circles around the rest of the culture! He knows he’s the man, and he’s doing nothing else but doubling down on the young cats who don’t know respect and the old gen who refuse to give flowers when they are due! He’s after everyone!

Not only is he one of the nicest, but he has powerhouse flow, surreal and vivid imagery (when he wants to show that side of him), mean street poetry, as well as the occasional personal lyrics taking about his history in life. He’s the type of rapper that can take over any lane if he felt like it! But chooses to just talk about and rock what he feels like at any given time, and it’s that versatility that makes him such a profound MC and one with such longevity! 

Anyway, this should be a no-brainer. No features, just two dope artists coming together and creating quite possibly the HARDEST 15 minutes you’ll hear all year. Go support below and be prepared to be rocked! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0SfuUfeS4LY8M8zYy8hDFM?si=uAR5QDpcS9-Zd3AW1Vpjdw

(Plenty Pressure)

If I were an artist and had to compete with an album that features two of the hottest names in the culture coming together, I’d call that PLENTY PRESSURE TOO! A historical fusion made three years ago and is still felt to this day, and with Bars Over BS recently picking it up for the physicals, you know I had to peep and give it a long-overdue write-up, so let’s get into it!

This is the 2023 drop by the collaboration of MC Powerhouse Chubs and Producer Machacha, with features from 

-Mickey Diamond

-Snotty

-O The Great

-Bloo Azul

An absolutely savage list of names that have the capacity to run any of your favourite names into the ground solo, so together? That’s overkill at its highest level.

When we take a look at the production, we see Machacha on his abrupt, fixated, and aggressive take. A man who has been described as the ‘King Maker’ for having the uncanny ability of working with future legends, he’s done just that with Chubs and done so with the utmost ruthlessness and cutthroat instrumentals that you can feel in the back of your soul.

On this one, he ain’t worried about sounding fancy, being overly experimental, diving into his many bags of sonic tricks, nah, he’s on his brutal, minimalistic, and heavy shit that is perfectly suited for someone like Chubs to go off on! 

You have tracks like -Liquid Death, which sounds like real-life ‘Chinese Water Torture’. You’ve got that looped distorted chord progression that gives off an eerie feeling as it haunts the whole track! 

It’s combined with some thudding drums and some thick bass and what sounds like a super subtle yet sharp key that appears for half a second each time in about 10-second increments! 

Or we can talk about tracks like -Can We, which again is a minimal masterclass at its finest. You’ve got those angelic chord progressions that make the track feel as light as a feather! Which is continued by some methodically paced drums and a beautiful vocal harmony that has a classical melody to it, which glides over the instrumentation! 

Hell, we have the track – Shots From The Jaguar, which has this 80’s movie villain soundtrack vibes! With those deep-toned synth chord influences, brash drums, and some irregular sounds and snippets that come throughout the song, giving it a bit of controlled chaos to keep the song feeling unpredictable in nature! 

This is Mach at his most powerful and focused. Don’t get it twisted, he can utilise any sound on any given day. But on this occasion, he’s getting cosy with the ‘Boom Bap’ lane and putting his own spin on the iconic sound!

Speaking of ‘Iconic sound’, we have Chubs. A man I first discovered early last year with his ‘40 Cal Capone’ tape, and I haven’t looked back since. He has a one-of-a-kind flow, killer charisma, and a presence across the beat that I’d say puts him in the top 5 as far as substance on any given song goes. He’s never one to just ‘rap’ but instead create a whole experience that lives on rent-free in the minds of fans across the culture! 

On this album, he doesn’t disappoint. The first thing I loved was how fast he got into his work. The intro track was barely a second in before he was already spitting! He was eager to get started, and he didn’t stop till the end! I loved how he incorporated a variety of mesmerising chorus lines, ‘most notable on the song Liquid Death’ but shown throughout! 

All those aspects help push his verbal narrative when the spitting starts. I’ve said this since I first heard him that he has the same level and skill in flow as legends such as

-Method Man

-Notorious B.I.G.

-Redman

You name it, he can rock with the best of them in that department. He’s never one to skip a beat; his words are magnets, they immediately stick to the instrumental and grip tight until the tracks are done, word for word, bar for bar, he’s never missed once.

I can’t believe how fucking fluent he is! Smooth, precise, vivid imagery in such short bursts. In just two lines he can make you picture a whole situation and then some! He actually has an incredible smart pen game also. Because if you really listen to his verses he’s choosing a collection of words per bar that shows syncing rhythm with the 4-5 that comes before and after! Making sure he sets up a bunch of words that end with ‘ass’ or ‘Ill’ or ‘Ight’ then finding words that sound similar to those that don’t end that way, it’s a whole fucking science that he’s mastered to a tee!

We have to bring up the fact he’s keeping up with arguably the most stand out rappers in the game right now and holding his own! Each feature track doesn’t just have a superstar name but they pull their weight and drop some of the dopest verses I’ve heard from them to elevate the album as a whole! (As if this album needed any more reason to be elevated!) 

You’d have to be a brain dead retard to assume this duo would fail. An absolutely unreal album that I’m kicking myself for not finding sooner! Shoutout to all the killer features for their contributions! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2OaOFMyAEwMAwtzQ6KarOt?si=_ZrmCBLSQEu2hO-HUWDPgQ

(PINKY AND THE BRAIN)

Man, I gotta give a shoutout to the artist for these albums. They always make the records so enticing with the art alone! Put it this way, if you’re too young to remember ‘Pinky and The Brain’, then we’re too young to link. ON GOD! But these two remember how dope that show was and decided ‘fuck it, let’s drop an album inspired by it’ and with that mindset alone, I respect them! 

This is the 28th of November 2021 release by dynamic twins THEMELLOS! It features nine ‘Episodes’ with a set-up like you’re about to experience a whole season worth of the cartoon in one short sitting! But of course with an underground SPLASH twist! 

Something I feel a lot of journalists (or fans) can lose sight of is that sometimes artists just want to have fun with their releases! Sometimes it doesn’t have to be about anything more serious than just childhood nostalgia mixed with creativity! That’s what this album is right here.

You’ve got the trademark Acid X Boom Bap fusion that these two are so known for but laid out under the umbrella of a cartoon about two fucked-up mice trying to take over the world! 

For example, that intro track -EPISODE 1 has a beat that’s heavy in electric guitar notes, combined with some synth/ambient background noise and rhythmic drums (of course combining sound bits of the show itself).

Even the track right after it -EPISODE 2 which takes a more serious, gritty tone as we hear this heavy traditional Boom Bap experience with those glistening keys, thudding bass, and minimal drums! The classic bare layered instrumental that hits you hard in the face!

When I think about it, the instrumentals and production signify the personal differences between the two. Sometimes you have more laid-back and wavy cuts of beats that would identify as Pinky’s side of the album while the more cerebral and darker shades of instrumentals signal Brain! (Quite ingenious if that’s what they were trying to)

Either way, all nine EPISODES have a compelling atmosphere attached to them that makes you feel like you’re in the presence of these two peculiar mice and watching their lives unfold under some of the most hard-hitting and memorable rap you’ve heard in your life!

What’s better than an album based on a classic TV show? Having two men as charismatic and energetic as THEMELLOS twins be the ones to do the performances! If you’re looking to capture the essence and versatility of shows like these, you need people like them to be able to reach that type of aura, cadence, and conviction! You can hear it in their voices, in the way they spit their bars! They are literally competing with nostalgia, trying to pay homage to it in the best way possible!

By utilising their natural chemistry as brothers and their inevitable talent as MC’s they combine sharp lyricism, precision, and wavy power that turns every breath they take into gold that you can’t ignore! See, that’s the thing, allure, magnetism, and appeal are things you don’t buy; it’s something you HAVE, and that’s why these guys stand out!

They have the vibe of natural performers with the experience of legends. They are verbally aggressive and yet equally as smooth and swift when they drop their various lyrical movements across the beats! 

I’ll never get sick of hearing their immaculate synchronicity. As someone who has twins in his family, I can tell you firsthand, there’s no substitute for it. Their type of connection can’t be replicated or learnt. You hear these two effortlessly spitting back and forth, sharing the flooding of ad libs and clever puns, witty one-liners mixed with street poetry that is ever so slick! 

Not to mention how well they tapped in with the various features: 

-ERG-ONE

-KALEO JACOBS

-SHIZZYOP

-NIKOLA 

Each artist a monster in their own lanes but come together under this one nostalgic vision to create magic and showcase their raw power and synchronicity with the powerhouse twins! 

Listeners, ‘are you thinking what I’m thinking’? You think so? Don’t worry, Mr. Hoover won’t notice a missing evening gown! It’s time to take over the world! BUT FIRST, go cop the album and support below!

https://themellos7.bandcamp.com/album/pinky-and-the-brain