(The Dark Arts)

DAMN, this album starts off heavy as fuck. Talking about the first time a baby experiences fear. That is the coldest way I’ve ever heard a record start, and it proves just how deep these two men are willing to go to stay true to the ‘concept’ of the record. Let’s get into it!

This is the brand-new EP/Album by 6th Man artists MC Xcel and Producer Shade Cobain. We have a chilling batch of seven tracks that is committed so strongly to the narrative of Dark Arts that it’s terrifying.

If you had told me last year that Xcel would be going down this route, I would have laughed in your face, but now that it’s here, it’s absolutely amazing and eerie at the same time.

Figured I should start with Xcel because not only has he had an incredible year so far but has kept evolving with every drop, and this serves as his ‘sinister side’ coming out to say hello. He’s fed up with that civil shit, and he’s here for war.

Alongside his venomous spirit, he showcases his evolved darker rhythm, his sharp and bloody wordplay, his forbidden pen game, and a flow that sounds possessed by Lucifer himself. 

He only needs six bars across six seconds and six songs to convince the non-believers that he really is the calamity come to life, and he’s taking everyone with him!

He has so many different sides of him on this record, whether you’re talking about that spoken word intro or ‘Dr. Loomis’ talking or being the devil’s reject himself, he’s the bad omen on that 1, 2 shit so twisted people call him Jason.

The one time he does have a feature, it’s something who might possibly be more devoid of happiness than even him, and that’s The Bad Seed himself, a forbidden spoiled fruit that has experienced enough of life to finally become the villain and aim that verbal shotgun at the same audience that pretends to show him ‘love’ will soon understand very well the feeling of ‘hate’ in the first degree.

Remember all the times these cats asked for support? Remember when they took your words at face value and became optimistic and hopeful that the same mouths who promised a helping hand would deliver? Then remember how your words landed on empty intentions and your life went on and you completely forgot about the promise made?

They didn’t forget. And now just like a ghoul, they rise fuelled by vengeance and selfish greed to make sure they get there’s ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. Xcel is a beast you didn’t see coming but will now be the one to destroy your favourite rappers while you sit there helpless! That’s the 6th man shit.

Can we please talk about the year Shade has had? The level of quality he’s brought down on the culture in just the last half year alone? He’s shown to everyone why he’s not only a 6th man soldier but honestly one of the best beat makers out there now.

Across this project he (just like Xcel) steps to his dark side and unleashes a set of sounds no mortal was meant to hear in this hip hop shit but instrumentals that will consume you with so much fear and energy that you’ll be twitching your neck like one of those Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ zombies!

Every beat on this project is heavy, horror-based and filled with so much intensity that I guarantee most of you won’t be able to listen to this at night (I know I won’t) because of its levels of violent intentions and sinister atmospheres!

He’s always had chemistry with Xcel but now it feels like a devil’s contract signed in blood and they are now bound to each other in exchange for the dopest hip hop music you’ve heard in your life! 

He’s no longer a mortal man, he’s a vessel for the dark one himself and he’s honouring his wishes by manipulating his normally ‘bright, cinematic and beautifully crafted beats’ to ‘depraved, murderous and homicidal’ influences with the goal of turning as many souls to the great one as possible using these beats as the penetration of the soul.

This record ain’t for the weak of heart. If you ain’t ready to challenge Lucifer himself, STAY THE FUCK AWAY!

You’ve been warned. You are no longer listening to Xcel and Shade, this is evil incarnate. 6th man is not liable for what’s about to happen. RUN

https://xcel777.bandcamp.com/album/the-dark-arts

(Yeast Infection)

I love discovering new artists, especially ones as hardcore as these two! A duo who, as I’ve found out, have been making waves in the underground movement and now being paired with one of the best producers out, period. This album is sure to be nothing less than a sonic explosion! Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new collaborative album between MC’s Him-Lo and Clev1, and together they make ‘Da Buze Bruvaz’, and they are accompanied by one of the illest beat makers around in Giallo Point. Together, they drop a nine-track, 27-minute project that is sure to hit fake tough guys in their feels and make them realise they ain’t really tough guys.

We gotta start with the production, because this shit goes HARD! Giallo has established the most bone, gritty, muddy, and overwhelming atmosphere possible for the real ones to sink into!

I’m talking about tracks that are mainly skeletal and minimal in structure yet explosive in outcome! For example, we have the track ‘Police Plaza’, which has that heavy thumping drums, delicate piano keys, and a consistent what sounds like a violin playing one continuous note in the deep background!

But then halfway through the track, we have those cinematic horns that come together as an almost instrumental pre-chorus! Very thrilling and dramatic.

Or we have the track ‘Goalie Mask’, which is probably my favourite track. Not only because it has that mysterious, eerie intro interlude that sets up the song, but it’s because it samples (what I think is an early Herbie Hancock song) with that looping rattling sound! 

You’ve also got those what sounds like a fiddle playing in and out. This is one of those beats that makes you feel a certain way, as if you’ve travelled into a different world entirely!

These are just two of nine tracks that are guaranteed to set your sonic taste buds on fire and make you experience a raw, rugged album in a way you’ve never done before! You could say Giallo was on POINT tonight!

Now, onto the newly discovered duo. I’ll be honest, after I finished listening, I honestly got the same vibe as the next ‘Conway The Machine and Benny’ or the new ‘Havoc and Prodigy’. These two are ruthless in the best possible way!

Across this album, the pair don’t just adapt to the sounds; they morph into them and make it their own.

It was incredible to hear such chemistry and unity between the two. The way the first gave it off to the second, and he ran with it flawlessly, there was never a moment of awkwardness or fumbling. Never a case of ‘one verse was obviously better than the other’. It was two equally powerful, consistent performances that pushed the music itself to higher heights as a result!

There were no features on this one, which is a flex in and of itself because they are telling the audience ‘we don’t need nobody to make this shit rock’, and they are right. They are more than capable of holding it down!

The only thing I found odd (at least on my end) was that mine was censored. Not that it ruined the music at all; it’s just strange considering they obviously cuss, so what’s the point? Especially if it’s street poetry, why add a censorship feature? Unless it was a mistake, but regardless, no big issue at all!

Make sure you give this album a chance, and I promise you won’t regret it! It’s powerful in all the right places! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/47R7XVkaBNi0ZfvqkVzMGv?si=2rFOHytATselZGEbpvQ3Ig

(Systemic Blues)

Another beautiful duo coming up. These two, in their own separate ways, have been paving their lanes, doing very well, and generating buzz along the way!

Now, together they come as one of the most underrated artists in the culture, and so let’s go on this ride! 

So, this is the brand-new single by MC Concept and producer Jazzy Lion Man! Equipped with two minutes and 07 seconds of bliss that can only be formed by these two combined!

Starting with that smooth, soul/jazz combo sound that is fucking gorgeous to listen to! To start off with, we have those luscious plucked strings that have an almost Caribbean-themed twist to them that vibes with each pluck!

On top of that, we have those smooth key progressions that come together alongside those very low-key drum sounds that can be heard ever so subtly!

This whole track is ridiculously soothing and relaxing. Jazzy Lion Man showcasing his undeniable talent again!

As far as Concept again. What can I say about him that I haven’t already? As usual, he kills this track! He brings his trademark charisma and passion into an already atmospheric track!

I love how he sounds one with the beat instead of ‘on top of’ or ‘next to’ it; it actually felt like

his vocals harmoniously synced with the beat to create an all-for-one type experience.

As usual, Concept brings his calm and collected demeanour to the table, with emphasis on his complex vocabulary, his frequent takes on social commentary, and the world around him, while sprinkling in some dope bragging lines for good measure!

His flow is angelic, his pen game strong, and his rhythm even greater! When it comes to Concept, you don’t have to be shown a story to see his true talents take shape right in front of your eyes because he will show it for you with his words!

A dope single that I had no doubt of being so. Serene production paired with even smoother verses by the man himself. What a pair they make! Call it ‘The Jazzy Concepts’ 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0ASmYhMqLohOHkZI7RZ99P?si=4RPr0PMzS5-NCfdQ17VhHw

(UnPretty)

It’s that time of the month again! Where we are treated to one of the most incredible runs in hip hop history. Non-stop monthly drops that have changed the game and bar for what ‘quality measures up to’, and now we are back and the question is ‘does it hold up?’ Let’s go!

This is the brand-new collaboration project between MC P-Ro and producer UglyJon, and together they drop a fresh 12 tracks with 34 minutes, featuring the likes of 

-OGBenGrimm

-Jae Hussle

-G-Fam Black 

-Sankofa

Across this project, we hear P-Ro as mean as we’ve ever heard him. Continuing the run of what I like to describe (based on his previous record) as the home run flexing. He’s focusing his efforts on complete raw energy, dominating wordplay, rough and rugged delivery execution, and a conviction so fucking strong that not even Man of Steel could break!

Across this project, I feel he’s inherited a special kind of swagger that I don’t remember him having prior. I hear his background vocals and the way he’s shouting out people, introducing certain players, his own verbal abuse in the form of adlibs, and more.

It’s as if he’s let go of any and all ideas of ‘holding back’ and just letting his bad attitude towards the competitors and nay-sayers spiral until it formed a sonic abyss full of gritty textures, distasteful substance, and a mouth with bars that won’t quit and that will spit circles around 90% of the clowns and their circuses today!

Of course, not alone, he has his trusted brothers with him to help guide that severe case of grit and muddy conviction sharp enough to cut the head off of any hater before they even have time to talk shit! The real ‘band of brothers’

As far as the production goes on this thing. As we’ve heard in times past, UglyJon is more than qualified to engineer the devastating sounds so tough and ruthless that it would make Vin Diesel rather massacre his family than dare step to these beats! Come to life for P-Ro.

Across the 12 tracks, we have tracks like ‘Uggo Muggos’, which has these menacing chord progressions with those heavy bass lines and drums so thudding that it feels like it’s a repetitive kick in the chest with each thud! Not to mention those synth chords that give off a strong ‘drama/thriller’ vibe to the whole track!

Then we have tracks like ‘Cracked Mirror’, which has a more rare ‘groove/Jazz’ element to it with those funky strings, intricate keys, and light Jazz drums that come together for a rare delicate moment on the album!

Then we have tracks like ‘Taste The Dirt’, which brings back the boom bap flavour with those close-cut vocal snippets and choir-style loops.

As well as those subtle jazz chords and surreal drums that come together for a gritty minimal track that makes you feel P-Ro’s frustration and personal lyricism to its fullest!

All this to say that once again, Ugly understood the assignment of making beats that are an extension of a man like P-Ro, and it comes out phenomenally!

Another Stella record by these two and another solid project in an almost year’s worth of albums! Don’t you dare sleep on this one! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6PImn6SetDXImTW6GMu5qr?si=7u-uC-5JRLa3DaR2xjbdtA

(For Lack Of Better Words)

For me, as a journalist. There’s a few set-ups that are considered ‘Guarantees’ for me. Certain people and duos that release, and I immediately have to check it out, and this is one of those situations.

These two are dope individually, but anytime they come together, I can’t help but get hyped and forced to check whatever they offer, so with that being said. Let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new EP by powerhouse collaborators MC Red, Amandala, and Producer AbbotJackson, and together they drop a fresh six tracks with 13 minutes, and my god, am I on cloud nine again with this one!

Let’s start with the MC side of things, Red. He’s one of those names that stand out from a crowd! Why? Because he simply raps truly uniquely from everyone else in the game. Whenever he drops bars, it sounds like he’s sitting there smoking a pipe and looking out the window at the life abroad rather than sitting there with a pen and paper!

He always has such an introspective tone, and that’s why all his bars sound like social commentaries. As if he’s only worried about what’s going on with his own life and what he can see around him over pointless bragging and fake glow-up lines. 

Him just being him is beyond elite in his rap style, and it’s this authenticity that draws me to him with each drop!

On this project, he brings his trademark professionalism, which consists of his smooth flow, intricate vocabulary, thought-provoking lyricism, and enough charisma and conviction to provide the whole game with! 

He’s always coming in with a soothing demeanour on the beats, think 93 Snoop or Gang Starr’s Guru in the way he just drops his bars without any over-the-top octaves or ridiculous characteristics for ‘viral views’; he’s just him, and the aura he possesses most would die for!

Since he has so much substance and spiritual direction in his words, this 13-minute EP feels like half an hour at least. He has the ability to prolong time and make the thrill of a brand-new album last that much longer!

Of course, the other part of the powerhouse duo is Abbot. A producer that I’m so fucking happy I discovered because he’s done nothing but made my jaw drop with every new release! His mastery is second to none, and what he does across this project is the definition of ‘perfection’.

This whole EP is jazz, soul, ambient inspired with some of the most gorgeously crafted and brought to life ideas and sounds that I’ve ever heard in my life.

It’s as if he has a secret magic spell where he can make the beats themselves come to life and bear sonic fruit for the listeners. It’s like he’s a band in and of himself that incorporates all the most beautiful and angelic elements of those mentioned genres and fuses them to create a brand new, atmospheric and spiritually compelling subgenre that is a stress killer.

One listen of this EP and you’ve been healed. I didn’t even have any stress before listening to this, and after my first listen through, I feel like a new person.

The smoothness of the EP is ridiculous. I found it hard to even pay attention and not drift off into a peaceful slumber and dream my life away while listening to this. 

This man is beyond a ‘producer’; he’s a glorious score creator that invents timeless experiences that affect your heart, mind, and soul! 

If you listen to this record on quality headphones or in a quiet, confined space, I guarantee you, you’ll start feeling lighter than air, and all your insomnia will be murdered before you even know it.

I don’t know how Abbot keeps making this music or how Red continues to rap as good as he does, but when they come together, they are automatically making classics, and this EP is no different! What a fucking project!

https://open.spotify.com/album/4yhWtYY9iyrX7KFnXeVCwn?si=B9WxSBWQR2-DiLbg9cj-dw

(Killing Prime)

Damn, is that not the most badass album title of all time? Such a statement. It’s like this man is flexing on the culture, going ‘Yeah? You a MC? Is that all? I’m a motherfucking hero killer!’ Love that mentality! Let’s talk about this!

This is the brand-new album by MC and producer double threat Minister Hyde, who not only raps his bars but does the beats on this one too! 

We have 15 tracks, a whopping 41 minutes of content, with the likes of 

– Phase One

– Maark W

– Eli The Don

– Mondo Slade

– Poetic Nes to accompany him on his crazy adventure that is every bit as climatic as a feature film!

Speaking of that production first. I mean, who else knows Minister better than himself? That’s the upside of producing your own shit. You know yourself and you know how to craft the perfect sounds to your own performances, and that’s exactly what’s happening here!

We have Minister rapping over some of the most dynamic, stadium-level boom-bap beats we’ve heard all year! 

These beats remind me of the early to mid-2000s era 50 Cent, Nas, and Jay-Z! We have those sharp and cut vocal snippets infused with those heavy drums and high-pitch synth chords that come together under a hip-hop pattern that acts as the skeleton to the whole record!

Remember the vibe we all felt when Jay dropped ‘The Black Album?’ Or when 50 dropped ‘Get Rich?’ This is the same level of cinematic energy and rich atmosphere that I’m feeling across this album, and it’s glorious to say the least!

It feels like a range of different socially pleasing sounds offered into a boom-bap crafted palette that is made for everyone to enjoy! You’ve got skeletal and vibrant tracks like ‘Get Off Me’ with those loop keys and vocal harmonies that provide that minimal brilliance for those who love that shit!

Then there’s also tracks like ‘Slow My Thoughts’ which has (in contrast to the other one) a lavish, high-performance type instrumental with those organ choir-style keys, synth-style chords, and jazz-inspired instrumentation that comes together organically in a high-quality and groove-oriented fashion.

This is the level of diversity and creativity I’ve come to appreciate from Minister over the months I’ve spent expanding on his discography. He’s one of the very few men that can call themselves a legitimate MC and a legitimate dope beat maker all in one!

Speaking of dope MC, we have the rapping side, which is always just as important and badass as the production side of things! From as long as I’ve known of his music, he’s never failed to impress me with his endless charisma, his tenacity to always push the envelope, and his firm conviction on staying true to himself and the ones who came before! 

When he raps, he keeps the fundamentals in place and spits bars like you’d expect a 90’s cat to do! Firm verses, clear-cut enunciations, solid smooth flow, and passion so strong you could cut it with a knife!

He always sounds like he’d rather be on the album spitting than anywhere else in the world, and that’s important!

So many rappers do the motions but not all have the ‘spirit’, and you can feel and hear the excess or lack thereof in the songs.

Not one to shy away or linger in the background, he’s always in top form, always trying to outdo the last project he did and bring names on that he knows will challenge him, sharpen his skills, and most importantly, actually bring something unique and fresh to the tracks!

Whether it be dope production or immaculate bars or even great chemistry with the features, you can find it all on here and more! Don’t forget to give this one a listen and enjoy the adventure! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2Obhu23UnoF7rA5qU95Mc8?si=9oKa_fdtQp-JZ6AvjQ2XbA

(ZINGMIXES)

Holy fuck, talk about a dangerous pairing. The thing is this, when you have an MC as energetic and charismatic as Bori, then any track he’s on is going to sound like a live concert in your earphones! 

But what happens when that same aesthetic is teamed up with arguably the best beat remixer in the game right now? Nah, that shit is ridiculous, and after I gave such high praises to his Reek Osama drop, he somehow outdid himself AGAIN. Let’s get to it.

This is the brand-new remix project featuring MC powerhouse and FEED THE FAMILY soldier Bori Rock and ultimate hip-hop remixer Thelonious Coltrane, and together they drop a fresh 13 tracks with the likes of 

-Al Divino

-Shaykh Hanif

-THE HIDDEN CHARACTER

-Estee Nack

And just when I thought Bori’s beat choices couldn’t be better. This project gives me a glimpse into the other side, and now I’m officially hooked! 

Let’s talk about that opening track, when I heard that experimental, noisy, distorted jazz introduction that sets the tone perfectly for someone of Bori’s calibre to kick off with! 

As the album goes on, you get your trademark jazz blends as well as the occasional metal/rock influence, such as in the track ‘Wave Affair’, the perfect symphony of sounds to accommodate the powerhouse names on the feature!

Across these 39 minutes, I feel like Coltrane took this as a challenge. A personal quest of ‘How can I amplify an already synchronous beat selection?’ I can re assure new listeners of Bori that it is almost an impossible task, but somehow I felt revived, eccentric, and static at the instrumentals provided, mainly because they all scream BORIROCK BORIROCK BORIROCK.

Speaking of the man. The actual playlist itself is well diverse! There were a few tracks and verses even I haven’t heard before. What was chosen was his most out-there and wavy vibes they could find to remix, and this 39 minutes just plays as a sonic electric shock of adrenaline right to the body and brain, and it’s fucking infectious!

That intro track, for example. I don’t remember the last time I heard Bori that amped up and full of life! It was exciting to me that I hadn’t heard it before, and it gave that song all the more drive!

As this is a remix record, there’s going to be tracks you’ve heard before just re imagined! I can’t guarantee you’ll love this as much as I have, and the different production choices, but to me, it does the part of exercising the greatest strengths of his performances and amplifying them tenfold! 

This man went from one of the strongest clicks in the game to one of the best discographies of the year to quite possibly the best remix tape of 2025! 

He doesn’t take L’s, and Coltrane was definitely ‘On dawgs like Bori rock’. 

Go check this record out! Trust me, if you thought you loved Bori’s albums before, you ain’t heard SHIT YET! 

https://dertheo.bandcamp.com/album/zingronisation?fbclid=PAVERFWANRM5JleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABp4YBR51gA3eQj5c4lU_XOdihzsr511IKC2z6tUFvy_s1MXAtys2oYTrBg9Ed_aem_IAqP5nY1btARHW8m_QoMMQ

(Old Head)

No disrespect to Seed, but was that photo edit for the cover necessary? The brother is old enough to post himself as is on the cover and be ‘Old Head’ certified. 

But regardless, let’s get into the brand-new track off the highly anticipated upcoming FFR III!

This is the brand-new track by legendary MC The Bad Seed. You’ll call him the rotten apple or the forbidden fruit, but the fact remains he’s still rapping circles around most of the ‘ripe’ fruit, and he’s here to prove that again! This time around, he’s accompanied by producer Silverback Lauren, a beatmaker I’m not well-versed in, but if he’s pairing with the Seed, then he’s gonna be DOPE! 

Starting with said production, we have a real classic old-school 90’s Brooklyn style beat. This reminds me of a Notorious BIG instrumental. It’s in your face, gritty, and unapologetic!

You’ve got those aggressively applied horns, thick drums, and bass deep enough to darken your soul and leave you mean-mugging the world for days! 

This is the PERFECT BEAT for The Bad Seed to go off on! I also love it incorporates those G-Funk style subtle chords that remind you ever so lightly of a 90’s ‘Chronic’ era Dre influence! Or the intro sound to GTA: San Andreas. Either way, a nice homage to the 90’s itself! 

Man, when we’re talking about The Seed, when is he ever subtle? NEVER. This man spits in the face of it, and he’s back to remind everyone again x100 that no matter how old he gets, he ain’t ever losing a step because he’s out for blood!

In this track, he talks about everything from growing up and listening to Rakim and Erik B for the first time! To judging the young generation and how they operate! 

He goes on to mention ‘Still rap a circle around a whipper snapper’ and he even mentions how ‘my bones still hurt, but I still don’t know a mattress’ 

Or how the young generation ‘wet around the ears, don’t even know how to piss yet’

This song is a full verbal assault on the young men and women who think they run this shit just because they’re young and full of a false sense of confidence. Trust me, young bloods, compared to the SEED, you still got at least 30 years of living to do, to even attempt to enter into his lane of work! 

This man has seen and done it all, and just like an angry old headteacher who is underpaid and overworked, he doesn’t mind telling you about it! 

Once again, his flow is ruthless, his pen game destructive, and his attitude as honest and disrespectful as anyone you’ll ever see! He’s the same everywhere you go, and that’s something most can’t say!

Go peep the new track and stay in tune for the 3 Peat of underground hip hop! 

https://thebadseed6.bandcamp.com/track/old-head

(One Time)

These lead-up singles are coming together to create the ultimate hype for what could be one of the dopest albums of the year! These two together create such a fantastic mix that it’s undeniable! Let’s get to it!

This is the brand-new single by MC J Scienide and producer Giallo Point. This time around, they have MC SonnyJim alongside them to help bring the vibe to the track!

Starting with the production, we have a more mellow and lo-fi-adjacent influence this time around with those soul-inspired drum patterns, those wavy/wobbling back-and-forth synth chords, as well as those intricate and high-pitched keys that all come together to create an angelic and beautiful soundscape that is felt through the whole body!

This track reminds me sonically of the Mac Miller album ‘Swimming’ with those spacey and otherworldly elements that give goosebumps across the body! 

I love how diverse and creative Giallo is with his production as this new single teases us about what could be a massive palette of sounds to expect on the official album! 

To the MC part, it starts off with J who brings that fun, smooth, and passionate verse to the forefront! As he was on the other single, he has that groovy sense of rhythm and conviction in his bars that makes him sound like a live performance! 

He’s got that cool energy and mastery of flow and extensive vocabulary at his disposal to circulate any type of bars and wordplay he wants! 

I love how he maintains that slick and consistent dynamic delivery across his verse, not being exactly slow but not too fast-paced either, just perfectly in between rocking his pen game in his own creative and original form!

On the other hand, we have Sonny who brings a lot more of a methodical and heavy-handed approach to the song.

His bars are more concentrated and raw in comparison as he slowed the track down to spit his batch of street poetry and does so effectively! 

He showcases his trademark in-your-face pen game, rough-around-the-edges demeanour, and ruthless pen game that forces you to feel the word he spits.

I think he provides a rather interesting contrast to J, and together they give the best of both worlds across that bright track of Giallo and give the audience a little something of everything!

So, if you haven’t heard the single yet, make sure you check it out NOW! You won’t be disappointed!

https://open.spotify.com/track/6VmFJVAkVlZfFwsglfU8HV?si=8gA7EFNGSFSU5qlad-4lZg

(3035: A Space Odyssey)

With such a compelling name, I couldn’t help but be intrigued with what’s to come. Not only that, but a man I’ve never heard of coming in with what sounds like a conceptual masterpiece of an idea! With that in mind, let’s tune in and see if the glamour matches the quality!

This is the brand-new album by MC Dialect Sosa and features 12 tracks with 37 minutes of adventure for the listener to strap in for! Impressively, with no feature in sight, just him, his creativity, and his brain to conceptualise a whirlwind of a track that is sure to surprise and impress most!

The production list is as follows

-Talent Ted

-Shmog

-Love Drums N Soul

-Pablet

-Istoma Beats

-Rias Beats/Waytoolost

-WhoDunIt

-Rsonal The Beatchef Beats

-CULTXRE

-Griff

-Iam6teen

Firstly, I love one of the lines on the track where he goes ‘don’t you dare call this boom bap’ if anyone is that tone-deaf where they assume this music is ‘boom bap’ then that’s just retarded because if anything this artistry reminds me of a Kid Cudi/Lupe Fiasco type! 

The type of MC who’s putting his creative aspirations first and the music itself second. With that formula, it can be risky as even those two artists listed above have made duds due to their over-experimentation, but you know what, I’d rather an artist go all out every time and face some L’s than someone play safe 100% of the time!

Across this album, we have an entertaining blend of alternative hip hop and intergalactic vibes! Imagine the debut Kudi album for comparison but obviously don’t in his own unique and original way!

You’ve got a lot of interesting music elements with inspirations from

– Rock

– Sci-Fi

– Synth

– Ambient

– Classical

And an overall cinematic aspect to the record that makes this feel more like a 2025 modern rendition episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’ than anything else.

It’s a thrilling, outer-world episode that leaves you on the edge of your seat for the duration of the album. It’s high energy from the first second, and although there are some opening or closing track skits to help push the narrative of the concept, the pace of the record stays rather consistent!

I notice that whenever people try to do these kinds of themed albums, they do their vocals more methodically and slowly to try to capture the mood and atmosphere of the world they are setting up, but in this case, he’s just going full speed ahead, rapping bar after bar in quick succession, which is honestly refreshing in that respect!

Along with the unusually satisfying MC work by the guy, we have the production briefly talked about that is compelling in its own way too. With those space-derived overtures and sci-fi-heavy influences, we have a realm that you wouldn’t want to put down until the end!

It’s thick, consuming, and absorbs you right into that world! Like the soundtrack to your favourite game, come to life in your ear, except you’re the player going through the motions! 

This album brought back a dream I used to have a lot as a kid of me camped out in a spaceship, sitting on a sofa and watching the world and space from a clear window! This record is the audio representation of that, and it’s awesome.

All in all, this is definitely not boom bap and definitely unlike most underground music you’ve heard all year, but I guarantee it will be a good time! 

See you later, space cowboy! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/1dr3Hm5hMeAYid9yDKquQZ?si=kscq5e7rRSaSHY9ozHJa5g