(Heads Or Tails)

The day has finally arrived, and the wait is over. The man who has been teasing us with single after single, bringing together the call for the album that would surely make a huge impact on the year, is finally here! Let’s fucking go!

Brand new album by MC B1 The Architect and producer Sythe. Nine tracks with the likes of 

-Daniel Son

-Grand Imperial Kilocee

-Blu

-MLNY

-Mark Jordan

-Words

And starting with the production first. The first thing I noticed over my first play-through (and my covering of the few singles leading up to it) is the harmonious balance between elegant, larger-than-life cinematic elements and that trademark gritty boom bap sounds! 

For example, you have the track ‘Fallen Angel’ that has those haunting keys in the background, heavy thudding drums, and eerie violin/synth chords! This track makes you feel like you’re walking through a cemetery or a haunted house! 

Another track ‘Find Out’ which showcases that gritty boom bap exterior. You have those thick bass lines, intricate keys that loop, and hypnotise the audience with those mesmerising drum patterns! 

This track feels the perfect representation of that underground, muddy hip hop sound! Especially with the features included on it!

We can even look at the track ‘Morning Rain’, the single I already covered but one that stands out regardless! We have those hypnotic piano keys in that luscious loop! Combined with those thudding drums and overall dark vibes!

I remember being shocked by this track because it had a darker verse by Blu, who is usually such an optimistic rapper!

This is all to say and provide context into the kind of production on hand here, it’s all raw but also theatrical and surreal in execution!

Looking at the MC work! We have B1 himself. Who feels like on a mission to make sure he drops his magnum opus and obliterate everyone in the game right now, and I believe he’s accomplished it!

His bars are fast-paced and vivid in detail! He’s got that sharp pen game and high energy to match! Every verse feels better than the last due to his exceptional performances and lyricism! He’s got the cadence of a real MC with his underground swagger and aura, and trumps the rest!

Here he is rapping alongside some of the best names in the game, and not only is he rapping alongside them but maintaining his solid stance and confidence verse for verse! (Which, believe me, isn’t easy.)

There are no awkward transitions or stand-out bad lines or words; it’s all completely solid. As I said above, he’s wanting to make sure he kills every song, and in saying that, you can consider this album a massacre.

Heads for phenomenal, tails for brilliant— doesn’t matter how you ‘flip’ it, this album slaps! If you haven’t heard it yet, what the fuck are you waiting for! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/78D3iTappeCMG8WqQ9kRSd?si=3njWSJ6_TR25E8MZKmu-fg

(EP.IV: The Zodiac Killer)

Brand new single alert! This is from a man I discovered earlier this year and one who impressed me to the point he remained on my watchlist ever since.

Now branded with a teased new project, of course I had to pay attention and this being one of the hot singles off it, my attention grew and my curiosity was piqued! How would this version of Shaw sound? Well let’s get into it!

This is the new track by MC Shaw Calhoune with production by Four Limbs and featuring the likes of 

-Josiah Hotwire 

-Bloo Azul

-DJ Skruff

And starting with the production side of things, this song feels like a homage to Cowboy Bebop meets Samurai Champloo. You’ve got that incredible jazz section at the start, free form and groovy as all hell with those fantastic drum patterns that evolve into a more hip-hop formula!

You’ve got those hypnotic keys, mesmerising drums, thick bass lines and the occasional P-Funk influence synth chords are a nice touch subtly in the background! I love the fact this song has two different layers from the intro to the main track! It feels spontaneous and fun! 

Now onto the MC side of things, as listed above we have three incredible MC’s who absolutely nail the track! One by one each giving the listener a masterclass in wordplay and performance execution!

The thing I love about this track is the fact that each man has a unique style and contrast to the ones before or after! Distinctive line-up where you can tell who’s on the mic and when!

Nothing annoys me more than a feature track with the same flow and cadence one after the other, it’s like ‘what’s the point of getting features if they all sound like you?’ But thankfully there’s no issue here!

Each man comes equipped with their sharpest verses, highest of energies and smooth rhythm to show off the fact that they are all some of the prime cuts in the industry today and when they come together they form like Vultron!

Have you heard this track yet? If not then why not? This is a track and most likely an album you don’t want to ignore!

https://open.spotify.com/album/0cAPJFz5We2MmXttyHUERB?si=6Yo4iK4iSxyNh0yYD8iAhg

(HEELS HAVE EYES 2)

I can still remember the first time I discovered West Side Gunn. I was on the bus after work, I saw the artwork for ‘Fly God Is An Awesome God 1’ and it intrigued me to the point of fascination, so I clicked play and the obsession began.

This man has a catalogue that is unmatched, from that first mentioned album to his ‘Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B’, they are two of my favourite rap albums of the modern era, and he’s still out here working, and with this latest album, he’s trying to outlap the other rappers twice over! 

Brand new full-length album by WestSide Gunn. 12 tracks, 37 minutes, and production from the likes of 

-MR GREEN

-CEE GEE

-DENNY LAFLARE

-CONDUCTOR WILLIAMS

-HARRY FRAUD

-DJ MUGGS

-MYLES

-CRUCIAL GUILLOTINE while he handles executive production himself!

Right off the bat, this production is beautiful! This feels like the classic Westside aura that I loved about the albums I mentioned above. Which is the fine line between cinematic and stripped-back and raw sounds and instrumentation.

I’m talking about those kinds of beats that highlight a few specific instruments that are turned masterful and crafted into gold. 

For example, ‘AMIRA KITCHEN’ where we have a combination of delicate piano keys, minimalistic drum patterns, and gorgeous saxophone by JEREMY KERN! 

Only a small handful of elements, yet CEE GEE and WestSide found a way to elevate and take these sounds to a new surreal plane and turn them into an unforgettable track!

Or we can even look at the track ‘POWERHOUSE HOBBS’ which has a different tone and sound structure than the one that came before but still has a similar formula.

On this track, we have some heavy banging drums with sharp and eerie chords with deep bass! 

Once again, with only the essentials, they turn water into wine. A collection of skeletal instruments into a top hit! This is the magic that WestSide Gunn inspires and executes alongside his various producers! 

This is why West is on everyone’s list of artists who have the best beat selection in the game. Because he chooses instrumentals that perfectly represent the ‘less is more’ blueprint and has become a household name with it, and this album is an absolutely incredible example of that! 

West. What an original MC he is. He has a style many have tried to copy but none can master. No one can hope to replicate his infinite aura, energy, and charisma. His larger-than-life persona speaks for itself and then some.

With his high-pitched voice and over-the-top adlibs, he came into the game swinging and has refused to slow down since he started, and on this album, he sounds as hungry as he did on his first album! 

As usual, he brings his colourful and sparking fast-paced flow that feels like a sonic bomb going off and exploding in every direction, hitting anyone and everyone in the radius! 

He brings a special kind of street poetry to the table with his vivid imagery and off-the-cuff moments and stories that make him sound like a king! 

With his creative and artistic pen game, he’s sure to leave any number of his lines engraved into your head to be memorised for months to come! Like ‘38 special, my mom said I was special’, something as simple as that can be left in the mind of the listener!

He’s like hip-hop’s Tarantino. Extreme, violent, and cinematic all in one. There’s only one FLYGOD, and this album and sequel are a cold reminder to NEVER look past the icon that is

WEST SIDE GUNN. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/7oXDJH6q9NOxB0QyOiG4ko?si=7PyAUM5QQGqEKVWiDfYiFA

(DIRTWAVE, VOL 3)

In an era of over-saturation in the music industry when everyone and their mother has a rap album, there is one duo, one team, one series that is standing out above the rest as the bar for the underground, the new standard to beat! The first two captivated the world, and now with this third volume, they are here to tear it all down with their bare hands! Let’s fucking go!

Brand new album by Underground Titans MC Pro Dillinger and Producer FutureWave, who come back with 11 new tracks and the likes of 

-Snotty

-Big Trip

-Estee Nack

-Danielson, and with this fatal four-way combing together, you can expect violence.

Let’s start with FutureWave. I feel we as a community are taking for granted the fact that we live in an era where we can see a man of his calibre consistently improve and evolve! We’ve seen this man over the last 10 years+ with a variety of different artists and continue to defy expectations and become monstrous in the process.

Any of his releases could be considered his best, and that’s just a testament to how solid he is, and this time is no exception. I haven’t heard Future this hungry and rigid before. He’s treating this record like it’s going to be his magnum opus, and it sounds like it!

From the very opening track, we hear just how serious he is with this record; it’s absolutely savage, raw, muddy, and dangerous as he’s ever been!

This album sounds and feels like the soundtrack to The Sopranos or Godfather. He’s got that perfect combination of cinematic and gritty to create an atmosphere of street scores that make you feel like you’re walking through the most deadly streets in the dead of night! 

I honestly thought he couldn’t sound better than the first volumes, but I was fucking wrong. He’s taken the influence and experience of those two and added sonic steroids to the mix as he creates a brand new beast that can’t be tamed!

I’m talking about those vicious loops with the ridiculously thick bass lines, detonating drums, and opera-level vocal arrangements that sound straight out of the 60s and 70s! I can’t express enough how well executed and expressive the music on this album is! 

It’s like you’re watching a mafia movie through your ears and are transported to that era to witness the carnage and chaos firsthand! That’s the talent of FutureWave; he can inherit the intentions and vision of the artists he works with to provide the best possible outcome sonically, and when it comes to an artist like Pro Dillinger, it means FutureWave has to dig to the deepest part of his psyche to create the most memorable, compelling, and downright murderous music he can pull off, and this is that and then some!

Onto his partner in crime, right from the first fucking track, I was given goosebumps by his performance. On every track he’s on, he sounds rough, and especially in the past two volumes, he’s sounded absolutely ruthless, but the way he presents himself on this album is a new level of deity entirely.

From the way he called out the culture by saying ‘we gave you the first half of the year, and this is what you do with it? Wasted our fucking time,’ bro, that legit gave me chills!

From there, he just ends up in a snowball effect of pure anarchy, rage, and diabolical power and tendencies to further stamp his name and reputation on the line! He is the most intense and relentless MC on the market, and he’s going to force the world to accept that!

He’s never sounded more powerful and assertive than he has on here. His delivery is louder, his conviction is deeper, his flow is smoother, and his pen game sharper. He’s literally the whole package wrapped into one!

Everything from the way he formulates his bars to his chorus lines, they all sound boss. He’s never the one to be anyone else’s soldier or right-hand man; nah, he’s the fucking kingpin, and he treats his verses as such!

The words he spits sounds like ORDERS being given by the top down and he’s never not at 100/10 when he’s delivering his messages. 

I’ve been impressed by Pro for years now and he’s only gotten more evolved and sinister (somehow) over the years and risen to the god of that muddy, gritty boom Bap shit!

On this album he doesn’t come alone from fellow Umbrella brothers to the legendary Estee Nack who joins him on a collab track for the fucking ages as we see two S Tier MC’s battle it out on the beat and it’s just absolute perfection to witness.

I’ll have to say, this is easily the best Dirtwave volume yet! From the surreal production to the phenomenal vocal performances and fire features this album gives off the energy of both Pro and Future’s magnum opus! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5TTG2EMr29vd9AAPcdL157?si=YMskedK7RwqedWzK1vbAjg

(FLY SPORT)

Can this man miss? What a year he’s had so far, and there’s no sign of stopping! From ridiculous singles to dope EP’s and everything in between, we have a man who is hell-bent on having the best discography of 2025, and at this rate, he’ll get there! Let’s talk about it!

Brand new EP by MC FLYG and fellow MC Sportscenter Dre, who I covered together on their single ‘MAZZA GALLERIE’, and since then, I was anticipating what the full project would sound like with the duo, and finally, I don’t have to wonder! Four tracks with 12 minutes of unmatched energy!

Starting with that opening track ‘BACK2BACK’, which features this super melodic instrumental with this beautiful slightly chipmunk vocal loop alongside intricate piano keys and light drums.

This whole track has a ‘soul’ feel to it that just makes you want to lay back and relax!

When talking about the bars, we have FLYG starting off, and he has a lot of great bars on his verse, such as ‘These Bars are Shocking, your hair is guaranteed to fizz’ or ‘Beautiful Fabrics I’m a Star, you a fish like Patrick’. 

Just the way he conducts himself on the beat, always thinking of clever one-liners that fit the mood and highlight his eccentric flow and talents as an MC is always sick to hear!

Of course, on the latter end, we have Sportcenter, who has a more in-your-face/aggressive texture to his bars to provide a healthy balance to FLY’s more smooth and collected style!

As expected, he goes off on this track sharp as a razor blade, forceful as an earthquake, and devastatingly effective! Perfect way to close the track off!

Now onto the track ‘HURRICANRANA’, we have what sounds like a more ambient/lo-fi or soul feel to this one.

This production reminds me of the debut album by Norah Jones. Very smooth and luscious. You’ve got those subtle classical-style vocals in the background with those delicate drums and very light piano keys. It’s another beat you just want to go for a walk in the morning of a sunny forest! Beautifully executed.

Now, onto the bars. As the last one, we have FLYG starting things off with a shorter verse than the last track but equally effective! I love his lines ‘I’m fashionably fly, that’s a must, ketchup. Which if you are paying attention is a clever double entendre! Very clever!

Another one I love is ‘come close, you’ll be stuck like a porcupine’. 

See, I told you all he’s the man with these bars! The new contender for the one-line king!

As well as this, we of course returned with Sports, who seems to bring a lot more energy and sporadic passion as we hear more adlibs and sharper bars!

I love how on one part he’s shouting out legends like Mobb Deep and LL and then on the next saying lines like ‘Hit you with a dirty D, Jon Moxley’ (meaning DDT). 

There’s a lot of different angles and lanes he’s driving in on this one, and I love them all!

Now, track three we have (NITRO VS R@W), another wrestling reference. On this one, there’s a definite soul feel to this one, those male Babyface/James Brown-style vocals across somewhat sounds like different tone violins and groovy drums that hypnotise the audience!

Across this one, we have so many different standout lines from FLYG. For example, ‘The Abstract, your ears are dirty, I suggest you use a Q-Tip’ (if you don’t get that pun, we can’t be friends, fuck you).

Or ‘You must be stupid, dropkick you from the inside of the ring like Billy Kidman’ (how many remember when they gave him the dopest theme song ever? Anyway).

Even lines like ‘You degenerates, suck it’s’.

There’s just so many great memorable lines on this track, and as someone who is a heavy wrestling fan, I loved them all!

Onto Sports, and it seems he’s following the same wrestling energy as FLYG did earlier! We have lines like 

‘Bars that will lead you to captivity, it’s time to face your sentence’ FIRE or

‘Hit you with an aggressive blow, rhino the gore’. 

These, alongside that dope flow and eccentric energy, and he’s got the whole package!

As far as the finale track goes ‘MAZZA GALLERIE’ I did already do a singles review on this and I loved it and after hearing the rest of the album this was definitely the right choice to put last!

To refresh that review,

I loved the intro where the person talks on the $25 million dollar MAZZA GALLERIE’ I loved how that progressed into a combination of Soul and Gospel vibes with for once on the whole EP Sportscentre starting off with his more raw and aggressive powerful bars taking centre stage and FLYG deciding to send the EP off in the smoothest way possible!

The highlight bars for me on this track was ‘Use to get everything on my Wishlist, even if it wasn’t Christmas’ that was off FLYG’s verse and one that I still think about regularly as a dope line

Overall, this was another fantastic EP by FLYG and this time Sportscenter Dre. They both have remarkable chemistry and work well with the production! Definitely shouldn’t sleep on this! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0NzIO3zhjicLWf6k0a7aWy?si=Tx8TfYlTQP2SB1S1_OGmAg

(NARCO LAUGH LOVE)

Okay, I’ll be real with this one. I was a bit nervous about this remix tape. Because he’s going to take on the role of one of my top 10 lyricists of all time! The man who I fucked with almost two decades ago and has captivated me since, so when I heard this would be the subject of the next remix tape, I had to prepare myself for what I was going to hear! 

Latest remix tape by underground veteran Gustavo Louis and after his other project based on Freddie Gibbs/Alchemist: Alfredo 2, he did such a fantastic job now he’s back to tackle the beats on the brand new Earl Sweatshirt album! 

That’s right, he’s here to replace and try out to do one of the strongest in the game. So, how does it go?

Before I get into that, as I explained with the other remix tape, I won’t be talking about the beats. There’s no way you haven’t heard the official Earl album! And if you haven’t heard the album yet, then it’s probably best to pause this and go listen to that first to understand what is being covered! 

Now, to the million-dollar question. Does he do it better than Earl himself? Lyrically, I’ll say no. Only because you could put anyone in that situation (maybe besides Aesop Rock), and the answer remains no. Earl was raised by one of the biggest modern-day poets and at 16 was dropping bars more complex than most of the game period, and since he’s only improved since, he can’t really be beaten in that aspect!

BUT

What Gustavo does have the leverage over Earl

With is his charisma and personality. In those two areas, there are very few that can touch Gustavo. He’s a walking, breathing energy circuit that just decided to rap. 

Every time he decides to open his mouth and spit bars, he explodes with dazzle, rizz, and glamour that comes with his eccentric style and cadence!

He’s able to incorporate those qualities into these fantastic productions and makes it his own! Regardless of if he’s winning in the vocabulary category, he’s running circles with his swagger and wavy attitude! 

Across this album, you can hear the conviction, the attention to detail, the complex rhyme schemes, and fun one-liners, phrases, and detailed descriptions he’s added to this album. Again (just like the first one), he doesn’t want to just rap over these beats for the fuck of it; he wants to impress the world with his remix of it! 

I find it interesting that in the intro track of this remix, he has a character admit that tackling this specific album by this specific artist is going to get you heat! But you know what, it’s one of

those qualities I respect most about him!

He has that self-confidence to challenge the greatest out there and make it his own, to go toe-to-toe with arguably the greatest lyricist of our modern era and go, ‘Let’s see what I can do against him’ is legendary status.

And considering this is arguably Earl’s most ‘optimistic’ sounding music he’s rapped on to date, it fits even more Gustavo’s over-the-top, fun, and eccentric tone! If there was ever an Earl album to remix sonically, it would be this one!

I fucking LOVED this remix album way better than the other one. I feel there’s more energy and passion across this one and his uphill battle to take on one of the undisputed GOATS and coming out this strong in comparison? Deserves nothing but respect!

https://gustavolouis.bandcamp.com/album/narco-laugh-love

(PREGO: Revisited)

We are finally at the finished product of this revolutionary remix project. From a single to two to an EP to now this! I covered it all and I’m here to shed more light on one of the most ambitious projects of the year! Let’s talk about it!

This is the FULL LENGTH Remix project by MC Gustavo Louis with beats from The Alchemist off the (Alfredo 2) album! 

This one has 11 tracks and is the finale of Gustavo’s vision to push himself and set his standards and bar as high as it can go, and I respect him for showing such ambition!

As I explained with the previous reviews regarding this project. No I won’t go into the music; it’s from Alfredo 2, an album you’ve definitely heard if you’re reading this! 

This is a remix tape over already established beats, and in that respect, I won’t further discuss the beats as he has millionaire labels to do that for him! My job is to discuss the efforts of the underground cats or, in this case, Gustavo!

Now, I’ll start by saying this. I am so fucking happy that he edited and updated the vocals! They no longer sound drowned or watered down, but rather equal to the beat, and I appreciate Gustavo for making that change happen!

Now, as far as his efforts go. As someone (who has obviously heard Alfredo 2) and is beyond familiar with the original verses by the legendary Freddie Gibbs, I can honestly say I feel Gustavo provides a more colourful, original, and creative spin on the bars than Freddie!

Sure, you can argue Freddie has more fluent verses and better pacing. But that’s the thing: Gustavo has never been the rapper interested in following the lane of anyone or what most consider the ‘norm’, and so, as his die-hard fans know, he’s always been the more ‘free-lance’ type rapper who appears and disappears on a beat at his own accord!

He’s on nobody’s time but his own, and on this record, he presents to the listener an alternative universe version of Alfredo 2 if it was rapped with more personality, charisma, definition, and charm. 

On this one, we hear Gustavo unleash his inner chameleon. Because at any given moment, he can switch himself up, go gritty when he feels like it, go introspective and deep whenever he wants, go methodical and ambient, and then go out and rap everyone in the game when he wants to try that lane for a second.

With every new song, he presents a different style and energy to fit. A man who sounds like he has unlimited ideas and sparks for magic in the booth, and he’s using it all on this one! 

He doesn’t want to sound like Freddie; otherwise, what would be the point in doing this project? He wants to stand out and provide a different perspective of this album, featuring the underrated, overlooked, and most importantly, the unrestrained artist of the underground!

I’m so happy I had the opportunity to listen to this album and its vision in its entirety. It’s refreshing and definitely creative, highlighting Gustavo’s growth and greatest assets! Shoutout to the main man!

https://gustavolouis.bandcamp.com/album/prego-revisted

(Marbles Island)

Oh shit, look who’s back! The icon himself, who has been on a mission statement to re define the underground and craft one of the most unforgettable discographies of 2025! So let’s talk about it!

Brand new album by MC Titan BluHillBill. The man who has the character and charisma of a million men. This time around, he’s accompanied by E_BUDDHA and others on the beat, and this thing is beyond out of control! 

Right from the first track, you can hear that wavy instrumentation. In his last album, he rapped over classic rap beats, and now he’s decided to flood the underground with his own brand of groovy, flavourful, and colourful beats that make you feel like you’re in the club in the 80s after snorting that pure white in the limo on the way there!

I’m talking about those sticky guitar strings, rock and roll drums, pitched P-Funk synth chords, electric keyboard, and more. Imagine if George Clinton meets James Brown, who meets Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five!

This album is an audiophile’s dream come true. Not only does it have absolutely exquisite sounds and versatility in the production, but the quality itself is blissful. I always listen to my review albums on my Sony XM4 headphones, and this album just dances around your body and pierces your soul into an eternal groove that won’t let off until the album is done!

With every new release by Blu, it seems he brings with him the spirit of ‘Sensation’ and breathes life into every track as if he has his own personal live band that follows him with every new drop. It’s truly magnificent what he does to albums, and it’s something no one has been able to achieve yet! 

Speaking of that, we have Blu’s MC work. Again, another aspect that is exclusive to him is his rare high-pitched vocals that make any song of his recognisable. 

He has a level of wavy aura that can really only be compared to the likes of Borirock! Both men drench the tracks with infinite charisma and energy, and as usual on this album, HillBill showcases his smooth and effortless flow that slides through the beat like a leaf flying through the wind! 

I love his crisp and memorable pen game. It seems like every bar of his can be used as an infectious chorus. His way with words and delivery makes him a walking, talking jukebox where every verse he spits makes a memorable hit! Let alone a whole fucking album worth of lines!

He always has the slickest bars, one-liners, phrases, and double entendres! He talks like Dolemite meets Muhammad Ali! Slick, dangerous, and fluent! 

I also love how often he showcases his lack of features, even when he does have some, it’s very little. He knows he’s the fucking man to beat, and he provides it with albums like this with absolutely no assistance! It’s just him on the mic, and that’s enough!

Again, unless it’s Bori, I don’t know who else could keep up with his incredible energy! 

This album was everything I wanted and much, much more. I had so much fun listening to this, and I know the culture will too! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/52X3xDHlSyQAKesrJoJyVY?si=dPx28684SHKC3d8WdkmzCA

(BōRYOKU)

This album has me more excited than most. After hearing the two singles that dropped leading up to this, I had feelings that this would be a larger-than-life project, and not only was I right, but this album defied all expectations I could have possibly had! We gotta talk about this one!

Brand new collaboration by producer Blaq Medici and MC Agallah The Don, and across these 11 tracks, we have what I would consider the best modern day re imagining of the Wu-Tang: Enter 36 Chambers/GZA: Liquid Swords formula we’ve seen, period.

Because we have a perfect combination of Japanese Yakuza and its history with Hip Hop, and done in such a refreshing way that it feels like they are re inventing the wheel with this record!

We start things off with that incredibly powerful intro about the history of the Yakuza and all its variants. What I love most about this intro is, as epic as it is, the final line being ‘The Yakuza Insists on a ruthless code of silence’ only for the song to start right after this.

To go from ‘Code of Silence’, I found to be a fun, ironic segment that was probably not intentional, but regardless.

As the album officially starts, we get Blaq’s iconic and larger-than-life brand of music fusions that include elements of 

– Jazz

– Neo Soul

– Gospel

– Funk

– Classical

– Opera

– Ambient and more. While also maintaining the presence of the Yakuza through interludes and outros that provide a small spoken snippet of the organisation and their impact/discipline.

What separates Blaq from the rest is his devotion and power within the music. He’s not satisfied with just making ‘good music’, but he’s insisting that every beat feels like a cinematic score you’d experience Tarantino to use. 

I’m not kidding, this whole album feels theatrical in every one of its pours! It’s vivid, expressive, powerful, and beautiful all in one. 

The music itself feels like it’s running through your bones and taking over your brain and soul for the duration of the record. As far as I’m concerned, he ain’t a producer, he’s a fucking composer. A genius who can inherit his inner RZA and combine the two worlds of Japanese Underwood and creative hip hop to produce this sonic child that has the perfect influence of both.

This whole record flows perfectly. There’s not a single flaw or awkward transition to be spoken of. It’s all one rhythm and one atmosphere, and it’s fucking beautiful to witness.

Of course, accompanying this composer is MC and wordsmith Agallah The Don. As much as the two singles I covered impressed me, it doesn’t touch how much I was blown away by his performance on the full length.

He’s just so fucking fluent! Absolutely no break in his style, and he’s the perfect combination of groundbreaking and intricate! He can run through these tracks at 100 miles an hour like a juggernaut! But can breeze through the instrumentals like a child brushing against a flow field, no damage inside.

Meaning, he’s sharp and lethal lyrically but simultaneously introspective and thought-provoking in his process. He’s the best of both worlds!

I love his style; it feels like depending on the given song, he can showcase a specific cadence. On some songs, he’s fast-paced and vivid in imagery; in other songs, he’s more methodical and surreal in his approach. 

Someone who can transition differently depending on the song’s mood is someone rare in the industry! It means he’s multi-layered! 

The one song that stuck out to me the most was ‘Day Ones’ because it features Sadat X, and the chemistry between Sadat and Agallah is absolutely incredible! I felt that vibe through my whole skeleton, and it gave me goosebumps!

Look, this isn’t an album. It’s a movie told in a sonic perspective. The composing is ridiculous, the verses even more so, and the features on point! If this doesn’t belong on the ‘AOTY’ list, I don’t know what will!

Shoutout to the features

– Sadat X

– DJ Radiohead

– Planet Asia

– Thelonious Coltrane

(Are You Julius?)

Time for coverage of another new artist. Going into this record, I had no idea what to expect, what vibe would be waiting for me, but after giving it a few spins, I can safely say this record was definitely worth the attention! Let’s talk about it!

Brand new album by Producer and MC Julius Myth. Coming in hot with 11 tracks and the likes of 

-NT Tru

-Passport Rav

-Quess

And with this trio combination on the feature list, it helps this record feel warm and comfortable as well as fresh and innovative!

We gotta talk about that production first because to say he killed it would be the biggest understatement of the year. Because what he accomplished on this album is levels of colourful and familiar influences executed with a modern-day spin. 

There are so many sounds I love, such as

-Soul

-Gospel

-Trap

-Ambient 

-RnB

And the way he utilises all these sounds makes me feel like I’m listening to a record from the 2000s back when classics were dropped on the weekly! 

For example, songs like ‘The Leaves’ with those infectious synth chords, light drums, and luscious acoustic guitar that turns this from a normal track to a heavenly fever dream!

Or even the track ‘Millions’ with those chipmunk gospel-style vocals and light bass strings and funky drums.

Man, this track legit had me feeling I was listening to ‘College Dropout’ era Kanye! I was moving around, grooving, and shit, this track had me MOVING!

Fuck, we can even discuss the track ‘Moonlight’ which again further demonstrates that gospel influences with those choir vocals and bass strings and light drums! This track is actually quite minimal in execution, but fuck is it impressive! There are also some beautiful jazz notes associated that are like the cherry on top!

Ironically, the track I probably fucked with the least was the intro track, which is the title track. I didn’t rock with that auto-tune style vocals, but the album definitely proves otherwise and makes one of the most engaging and definitive listening experiences of the year!

As far as the MC work goes. Of course, considering he made the beats, it’s only logical that Julius’s synchronicity is perfect. He ain’t pulling no punches on this one! He comes through with passionate performances, fun and interesting verses that often leave the listener wondering. 

Thought-provoking bars mixed with lighthearted introspective lines and phrases that leave a profound and positive impression on the audience!

He’s one with the music itself. The way he immerses himself in the production, how his tailor-made flow glides through the instrumentals in such an effortless way that it makes most other artists seem amateur in comparison.

As stated before, I love the trio he came with. I love that he didn’t feel the need to flood this album with features and emphasised the ones he did bring to their fullest extents!

These three have amazing chemistry with Julius, and in the tracks they appear, make for a fantastic high-energy performance that stands out on the album!

Overall, this is a BEAST of an album. It’s brilliantly produced with solid verses and features! Definitely a highlight for the month! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6RcONBT6tkXGtKPWNhVE5j?si=OFROhWYoTrq5OQcrgSsCQQ