(Blaq Rain)

Oh boy, we are so back! It’s been a long minute since I last covered these guys, and to hear this brand new single feels like perfect timing in the game and provides even more hype for the upcoming record! Let’s talk about it!

 Brand new single. We got Blaq Medici on the beats, Agallah The Don on the mic while featuring the legendary Planet Asia, helping turn this track from amazing to classic! Three minutes and 16 seconds of pure elegance!

Let’s start with that beat. It’s been so long that I forgot how smooth and elegant this man is behind the music. Blaq provides us with some Lo-Fi meets Underground and done so in the most beautiful way possible!

We have the track blossom with these thick and infectious bass lines that dominate the track with their groovy and distinctive hypnotic effect. It kind of reminds me of the song ‘Rim Shot’ intro track off Erykah Badu’s classic album ‘Baduizm’; it has that same memorable quality to it!

As well as the bass, we have these acoustic guitar strings and these intricate piano keys that have this fleeting, dreamy sound to them, just takes your breath away!

All these instruments coming together do a neo soul vibe to them that I love. It’s gorgeously arranged while maintaining that ‘Hip Hop’ feel that can be lost in fusions of this magnitude, absolutely incredible!

Now onto the MC side of things. We start off with Agallah. His presence was well received on the last single they had together, and it seems he’s only improved and gotten stronger since.

His verses feel powerful and introspective at the same time. He has that next level conviction in his bars, and his pen game has also become more advanced and vivid in the passing months!

His flow is sturdy and unshaken. His charisma on the track level every word spoken to be logged into the listeners’ minds for days or weeks on end! He talks, and the world listens.

As far as the legendary feature goes, although his verse is shorter, he doesn’t hold back. As expected, Planet Asia brings forth his enormous charisma and energy onto this track in a way only he knows how to do!

His verse is cunning, complex, smooth, and sharp all in one. He comes and goes like Sukuna trolling the rest of the Sorcerers while fighting Jogo! Whenever he’s around, the game goes DEAD QUIET, waiting for the king’s orders to move. 

No matter how much this guy releases year to year, he continues to showcase the best of the underground and never feels tiresome doing so! 

This is one HELL of a track; it’s one that you can’t afford to miss out on! This is the real monster trio! 

(MOUTH TO EAR)

I gotta say, as much as I’ve been enjoying their current ‘heel turn’ aggressive approach to their music lately, this album is such a refreshing return to their original style. 

I can’t even begin to guess what number album this is by Pen Lordz, but you can guarantee regardless it’s going to be absolutely FIRE. Let’s talk about it!

Brand new album by Pen Lordz, Arsinel. This time produced by G Killa and features

-Fam Ross

-Audio Messiah

-King Androit

It’s actually quite shocking to see someone else feature on this list besides the usual crew. This feels like the ‘Let My N* Live’ track when Wu-Tang decided to feature Nas and break the exclusive Wu-Tang members-only rule.

Regardless of that, and as pointed out above, this album consists of some of the most smooth, melodic, and surreal instrumentals we’ve got from the collective in months, and it took an Arsinel album to draw that out!

From that beautiful opening track with those jazz-inspired horns, light synth chords, and RnB taps that remind me of a beat from the late 90s or early 2000s!

To that equally magnificent second track with those sticky bass lines, intricate keys, and hypnotic drum beats to wrap the whole track off!

This man, G Killa, is the real deal. He’s out here bringing back the ‘lively’ energy of hip-hop and empowering every single element until it sounds damn near cinematic. 

The music really does sound the hip-hop sonic equivalent of a sunny day walking through a forest! 

If I had to name my favourite beat on the album, it would have to be ‘Pay Attention’. I love that jazz fusion. You’ve got those infectious jazz horns in a loop! Accompanied by these more subtle jazz chords deep into the background alongside some sticky drums that will stay in your head for weeks on end! 

As well as some light vocal harmonies that give the track that extra theatrical feel! 

As far as the MC work goes, I mean, they aren’t called ‘Pen Lords’ for nothing. Whether that be Arsinel or the other two, every man is in peak condition on the mic and each delivery accordingly!

I’m talking sharp delivery, second-to-none vocabulary which includes interesting social commentary, personal beliefs, introspective thoughts, and downright bragging bars! They can do it all and in the smoothest flow you’ve ever heard!

I’ve said this plenty of times, but these guys have a level of ‘spirituality’ to their style. It doesn’t feel like normal bars but revelations or preachings! That’s why every Pen Lords album feels special because they aren’t just ‘rapping’ but manifesting their convictions and life views onto the track for everyone to hear and absorb!

Overall, another Pen Lords album I can’t recommend enough! Fantastic production combined with killer verses by everyone involved! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0MRnUoXF9J3XU40f1tdiWj?si=PHsyOKXYSduswr69KIryDA

(ROBIN ILL-IAMS)

I have to apologise to the audience. I’m actually super late to this release; this came out on the 11th of August, and I only have the time to get to it now!

This is a man I’ve been in contact with over the months and heard a lot about the hype for this record, and with that badass album title, it was bound to get me excited! So let’s talk about it!

This is the brand-new studio album by MC FAWKEM! Which includes 13 tracks with production from the likes of 

-ANT KELLY

-CAMOUFLAGE MONK

-DJ KROOKED

-MCBAIN

-TETSUO

-JACK2ON

-ERIC FRM SALEM

and after hearing all the hype, I have to admit. The anticipation was legit because this album goes HARD!

When we talk about the production, it has that gritty and raw factor to it that is quite addictive! There are many elements such as 

-Harrowing Pianos

-Thick Bass Lines

-G-Funk inspired Synth Chords

-Jazz Horns

-Devastatingly heavy Drums

-Electric Guitar and more!

This album contains so many groovy and lively elements across the 13 tracks that it sucks you in one track at a time! Some are executed more methodically, some are more muddy skeletal, others have a higher energy count and make you want to get off your ass and move to the beat! 

It’s the beauty of these handful of producers all working together to create a generous mix of variety to have something for everyone to love! But even as diverse as the tracks are, they still come together as a whole to create a worthwhile listening experience! 

Now, onto the MC work, and as I’ve commented about him in previous reviews before, FAWKEM really is that guy. He possesses a trademark conviction that few others can replicate. He’s always rapping with a purpose, and every word has a rhyme and a reason!

Across this album, he separates his verses from introspective lines to classic braggadocio to social commentary and street poetry. He’s got a vivid imagery for every occasion, and he’s going to make sure you feel it all!

I love his unpredictable and crisp flow. His pen game is tight and sharp, and his performances on the tracks always find a way to impress me, no matter what beat he’s on! Plus, to do so with barely any features (only one) adds a next level of respect for the man.

But unfortunately, this album does come with one major flaw. The vocal mixing. Too many times, I had to turn up or down the volume because it was too loud or too soft from the one before it. I understand if they were trying to go for a super ‘raw’ and unmastered aesthetic (trust me, I dig that shit), but it can’t come at the expense of the vocal consistency.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not FAWK EM that sounds off; it’s the volume alterations. I just wish they would have fixed that, and this album would be perfect.

Other than that glaring issue, this was a pretty dope album! The actual sounds of the production were refreshing and infectious, and the MC work left me wanting more! 

https://fawkem.bandcamp.com/album/robin-ill-iams

(PREGO.5)

He’s already back with another EP! It hasn’t even been a week and he’s back, after his first 3-track EP dedicated to the beats of the brand-new Freddie Gibbs X The Alchemist project: Alfredo 2. We have a new set! 

I can’t really blame him as these beats were fantastic and he knows as well as I do how capable he is to rap over them, so he just asked himself ‘why not’ and that’s the attitude we should all have: Why The Fuck Not! 

Brand New remix EP tape by MC Gustavo Louis. One of the most eccentric artists in the underground today! With a personality larger than most cities, he’s back again paying homage to those beats mentioned above with 5 new tracks!

-95

-MARLARGO NARCO

-LEMONPEPPER WINGS

-FEELINGS 

-PARDA with one feature in -Stagger Libre and right off the bat this EP is stunning!

For this review, I ain’t gonna talk about production. I refuse to believe if you’re reading this review by this artist that you haven’t heard Alfredo 2! These are all familiar beats and given plenty of attention by the mainstream publications and figures, so today it’s all focused on Gustavo himself!

Across these 5 tracks, Gustavo (just like the 3-track EP) in the same instrumental sources tapes into his inner showman. Although he’s naturally a colourful and energetic artist, it feels like he understands the gravity of the beats he’s on and has stepped up his game that extra notch to do justice to said beats.

See, too many artists remix mainstream beats just to get attention or a quick burst of comments or views, but how many of them actually go into the production with a ‘I can rap better than the original MC on it?’ 

I honestly don’t think many do. Many sound amateur in execution, hence why I normally don’t fuck with remix tracks, but Gustavo is different. You can HEAR IT in his flow, pen game, and rhythm that he believes he can do these beats justice more than Freddie could! Which is such a bold statement to make, but I mean, listening to this, I can’t fault him for that mentality!

He sounds sharper than ever! Sounds groovy and beautifully wavy! He has a hint of a free-form style on some of the tracks like ‘LEMONPEPPER WINGS’ but it’s done in an intricate and elegant way that it’s barely noticeable!

His charisma and charm are at all-time high on this record! He’s bursting with confidence, certainty, and positivity on the track! He’s having fun with this project while at the same time rocking some of the dopest bars and verses he’s spit yet! Making sure to utilise every second of these beats to the fullest! 

Another solid drop by Gustavo. The man with endless potential coming back to surprise us again! 

https://gustavolouis.bandcamp.com/album/prego-5

(EYES UNDER THESE SHADES)

I went on a limb and listed who I thought is the ‘Monster Trio’ of the next generation.

-DatKidBravo

-JJackpot

And this man Wst Taylor. All three men have showcased abilities and skills that blew me away. From albums to singles, they are creating a breath of fresh air in the culture, and so the inspiration to go back to this older record was to see if my praise of him was well-founded, or based off a ‘one-hit wonder’ in ‘WSTFIELD’. I’m pleased to announce, he ain’t no one-hit wonder. Let’s talk about it!

This is the 2024 album by MC Wst Taylor. With seven tracks and 22 minutes of music, featuring production by 

-Shalom

-TrueCipher

-AbbotJackson

And features from 

-Kaleo Jacob’s

-OP Shiz

-Felicity Estelle

-Chyna 

-Praxeye

-RoddaThaRuler

And with this trio of producers, they created magic. I want you to picture smooth instrumentation combined with a stripped-back and minimalistic atmosphere that highlights each individual piece of music!

For example, the track ‘DOES A STAR WEIGH MORE THAN GOLD?’

We have those groovy plucked guitar strings, light vocal harmonies in the background, and those soul-inspired drum tracks that make this track feel light and powerful at the same time.

Or we can look at ‘YOU WANNA BE FAMOUS?’ We get a more aggressive take than the intro track with a strong and in-the-foreground vocal loop that repeats every two seconds! Then we have what sounds like keys in the background behind the voice! 

On top of that, we have a gritty and muddy boom-bap-inspired drum that kicks you in the chest and keeps you down!

Although it’s more grimy, it still highlights only a few instruments and elements at a time, making it skeletal but ruthless all in one!

Or we can even check the track ‘GODKNOWS’ which brings a more emotional and somber experience to the album. This is a thought-provoking track with those heavy-handed guitar strings that dominate the track! They are slick and sound natural as fuck! Like Jules Santana is right there in the studio with them!

Accompanying the guitar chords, we have this light, gospel-style drum beat, very light and subtle, and exceptionally done for this track! 

Point to make here is, these three producers have made the most out of the instruments they use. It all feels larger than life and surreal in execution. This feels like a soundtrack to a thriller movie more than your average hip-hop album!

As far as the MC work goes, I’m pleased to say Wst has once again shown why he’s deserving of the mantle I gave him! He’s incredible.

What makes him stand out is his smooth, sharp, and sensational delivery combined with an impressive vocabulary to fill his bars with a lot of variety in terms of themes, stories, and lines! 

He can switch it from vivid imagery to introspective bars to social commentary to downright flexing and bragging on the haters! Similar to what you hear from JID. Effortless in his flow and pen game and always a dominating presence on the song!

Also, another quality of Wst is that he always chooses the perfect features and producers to match his specific vibe and energy! Every one of his guests has a purpose and a reason to be there! It’s not just ‘features for the sake of it’ but they are people with whom he has chemistry and solid synergy, and to me, that’s super important!

Overall, this is one hell of an album! From the production to the features to Wst himself! If you haven’t checked this yet, then I plead you to give it a chance! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/55EjXxPONyQ3PcBmDrOL1t?si=kowOJ_6ISAKX1lI6gQHzHA

(SKRAPE UP)

I’ll be real with you all. I’ve been aware of this EP for a minute now. It sounded interesting mainly because of the formula of the songs. This kind of style is very 2000s EP formula. A few songs original, then a mix of different styles on the same track!

It got me intrigued, and even now that I was sent the song early, I didn’t listen to it because I wanted to hear it in the context of the other versions, and today is that day! So let’s get into it!

This is the latest EP by MC/Producer God Gotti. He has to be my most regular client (or one of them), and he’s continuing to impress me with every drop! 

For this one, as described above, we have one track ‘SKRAPE UP’ and the other five tracks are different varieties of the original song! Such as

-Radio

-Speed Up

-Slowed Down

-Instrumental 

And I’ll be real with you. This was a fun time! Mainly because no one is doing this anymore. This EP literally reminded me of the 2005 album ‘Lost And Found’ and how there were like three different versions of his hit single ‘Switch’, the 

-RnB Edition

-Reggae Edition

And I get the same excitement for this! 

When we talk about the original, the track has a strong ‘trap’ mixed with ‘dubstep’, which is a very cool mix!

The ‘trap’ being in those high-pitch piano keys that are constantly looped across the track and those aggressive drum patterns! Making me feel like I’m listening to a classic -Gucci Mane/T.I track! 

But then to toss a wrench in the formula, we have this ‘dubstep’ sharp and heavy chord progressions that happen about every three-four seconds on the beat! It sounds like a transformer turning into the human model from the car! It’s very electronic and addictive! You wouldn’t think those two would mix, but then again, we’ve had Game/Rick Ross team up with Skrillex, so it’s not that rare! 

The verses are also dope! Very sharp, relentless verses with bragging themes and pen game hot enough to burn the sun! The wordplay pairs well with the beat and shows enough energy and conviction for the task at hand!

Now, as far as the variants go. The ‘radio’ one is just the same as the first but censored! For the radio.

The third ‘Sped up’ honestly, to me, doesn’t sound that different besides a more ‘chipmunk’ level of vocals. But the actual instrumental doesn’t feel any different (at least to me), pretty underwhelming.

The fourth track is where it’s at! That’s my favourite version! (The slowed-up one). This version makes the track feel so much darker and more surreal! Those trap piano keys hit harder, the dubstep part feels more atmospheric than ever before! The vocals are even deeper.

This is where it’s at! 

And the final is just an instrumental. The same as the original, just no words! 

Overall. A very bold and interesting EP that I did enjoy (besides one track), but I mean to run this kind of EP in 2025 is nothing but props from me! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/7LsMXAoYMvmzURquFrV1Cb?si=VhW-4H3LTXq-EsgQ8HJtlA

(Hash For The Sol)

What are the odds that as soon as I give this man his props on my latest review, he has this banger ready to go? Damn. He really is one of the most slept-on rappers, but hey, that’s fuel for a killer of his stature, so go on, culture, keep turning your head because one day he’ll do it for you and turn your lights off permanently! 

We’re back with ANOTHER EP by MC extraordinaire Concept, with producer/rapper Basik, who together come through with another hot project that’s sure to leave you mean-mugging the world as a result!

5 tracks 

– Savage Mode

– People’s Champ

– Maya Code

– Like This 

– Money There

Each of these tracks has its own flavour and cadence to them that’s unique to them! For example, 

‘Savage Mode’, as expected, has one of the most ‘savage’ feels on the whole EP. You’ve got that muddy killer trap atmosphere. Those long and lower register synth chords that vibe in your brain like a penetrating shot to the head!

Accompanied by those droning drums and the subtle plucked strings, this has BANGER written all over it! 

Or the track ‘People’s Champ’, which just like Dwayne himself has that smooth confidence behind it but strong enough to hit you with a rock bottom you won’t get up from!

We have those soulful, ambient notes that go off lightly in the background combined with those delicate keys and funk-style drums slicker than The Rock’s 2000s promos.

This is an instrumental that won’t need ‘The People’s Elbow’ to hit you down for 3 counts! It’s smooth enough to do it on its own!

We can even look at ‘Maya’s Code’ (my personal favourite track). This one has an incredibly powerful intro with that spoken word that slowly transforms into that lo-fi art rap vibe. 

This track has those deep and methodical chords that move in a boomerang motion, coming out and in and out again in various pitches to give that hypnotic effect! 

The way the track feels, it makes me feel like I’m listening to the song underwater, the way the elements feel in my ears!

This track also has those incredibly zoning drums that co-operate with the notes to create a real out-of-this-world beat that will make your mind wonder! 

The track ‘Like This’ I’d consider the ‘Goodfellas Turned Hip Hop’ track on the album. Not because of gangsta references or anything but the high-end, classical nature of the track! It just feels upper class.

You’ve got what sounds like those jazz horns going in the background, light drums, and that modern-day rap beat that acts as the skeleton to keep all those elements in tune and in place!

This feels methodical and surreal in execution. This song feels like a walk home in the rain as your mind is left contemplating life and the events of the day (like young Henry taking Tuddy from Paulie’s house to the payphone holding an umbrella to his head).

The final track ‘Money There’ is the exquisite jazz finale track and it’s fucking beautiful. This is how you close an album off! 

You’ve got those gorgeous jazz notes that feel like someone is in the studio alongside them! 

With those, we have this mid-2000s style hip-hop beat with what sounds like manipulated vocals that are made to sound synth-related that is off in the distance!

This track has that ‘outro’ feel to it. I love the fusion of jazz and rap and the way it’s produced you can tell the care Basik took into making this track not last too long or too short but ‘just right’ for the closer!

As far as the MC’s go, I can’t complain! Of course, you have a concept who outshines most rappers on any given night and today he’s showcasing his skills yet again!

He’s got that vivid imagery in his lyrics, his smooth and effortless flow tied in with his incredible pen game and lyricism! 

He’s the kind of MC to take a one-hour car ride to the studio, thinking about the bars the whole way there, then jump into the studio with the confidence of a lion in the jungle, ready to take the crown!

He’s a thinking man’s artist. Someone who makes sure every bar or word has a reason to be there and even on a 5 track record he’s making sure his meanings and themes are all iron sealed and sure their purposes!

I love the passion and conviction he brings to the table and on that topic we have co MC Basik! Who not only provided those sick as beats but also lends a hand on the raps!

Both men share incredible chemistry, work off each other well. Both have their own set styles, sharp delivery and interesting and engaging verses to keep the listener focused and happy!

The good thing is, both men aren’t the same vibe (nothing worse then hearing features who are just a repeat of each other)

Thankfully Basik has his own confidence and enthusiasm approach to the verses that were equal parts introspective and raw!

This was one hell of an EP! Complied of sick beats and even sicker verses! Don’t forget to support these two and this EP! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6SMePMsV9SamDIyI47rni7?si=GGDwCc1CRbmrLjnqxFSu2g

(Go-Getter Gems)

Talk about an anticipated single! This has been on my radar for a minute now. I’ve been told about this track for what has to be over a month now, and finally, the day has arrived. How does it fare? Let’s talk about it!

BRAND NEW SINGLE by MC Stray Bullet, featuring the legendary REKS! This is such a big deal and one that can’t be overlooked, as these two are ready to tear the house down!

Let’s start with that booming instrumental by Sospecial! 

Because this thing has such a lively feel to it that it’s impossible not to groove too! 

Firstly, we have these infectious guitar strings in two different notes. The first being the sharp and in-your-face short snippets that hit you in a mesmerising loop at the forefront of the beat, and the other is those metal-inspired guitar notes that melodically pop in the background, giving this track that ‘aura’ filled atmosphere! 

Accompanied by the guitar, we have these absolutely funky and monstrous drums that can be heard shaking the track up and giving it that real old-school hip-hop effect! It’s right there in your face, and I love it!

The whole instrumental feels fresh and vibrant! It doesn’t sound like anything else on the market and definitely stands out as one of the most definitive pieces of music we have in the underground right now!

Now onto the MC work. We have the song starting off with Stray Bullet, who comes out hot with his funky, no-nonsense energy, with crisp lyricism and impressive vocabulary on the track! He has that golden 90’s era flow control with every word he touches, landing on the beat effortlessly and in good timing!

I love his dope phrases and one-liners! He’s got so much thought-provoking bars in his verse that make you want to pause the track and think about the lines he just said! He’s a master of this wordplay shit!

Of course, in the second verse, we have REKS! Who brings forth his trademark powerful delivery and force to the table and makes every single breath feel like dynamite over the track! 

His pen game feels like a sharp blade as he decapitates the beat one syllable at a time, incredible breath control, insane puns and one-liners as well as vivid imagery that can make you feel like you’re right there with him!

He’s a legend in this game for a reason! He’s got that legendary aura and confidence. That professional cadence and delivery style as well as a talent so fierce it scares all the fakes away!

I loved his line in the track when he goes ‘This gut check time is designedto assist in your climbto resist is to live life blind’

When I heard that I legit got goosebumps! Because he said it so smoothly I couldn’t help but react to it!

Fact of the matter is, this track will have you mean-mugging the world for at least 24 hours! It’s sonically sharp and lyrically phenomenal! Definitely not one to sleep on!

https://open.spotify.com/album/7CstLQbUenYVBMGUDnNPSf?si=a7-uH4fiSvun27J3l1s-4Q

(BTA)

Man. How insane is it that we have such prolific names in the underground? People who don’t have any major label backing or million-dollar budgets are out here working the best of us? This man is definitely one of the main characters in that scenario who has an endless supply of records, and this next one is just further proof of that! Let’s talk about it!

Brand new album by Producer JazzyLionMan. With 13 tracks, 31 minutes, and the likes of 

-Gommi J

-THE REBEL SKY

-J, Basik

-Skip The Kid

-Gustavo Louis 

-Jules Clay

-Chuck Nostalgia 

-NightsRadio 

-YFI

-OGknownforhissmokin

And with this elite roster of names, we have Jazzy up his sound game even more! This is probably the most complete project I’ve heard by him since his Gustavo Louis collab record ‘SIKOA’, and it shows!

We start things off with a WWE skit of them mocking who sounds like William Regal about how he kissed Vince’s ass! A great satire intro that leads into what could be described as one of his most ‘ambitious and ambient’ projects yet!

We hear that from the second track in ‘BOGDADDYKANE’ where we hear this beautiful atmospheric jazz chord that runs on a beautiful loop alongside plucked strings, high-pitched keys, and a very mellow drum pattern to help wrap the track up! A fantastic official first rap track!

From there, we have tracks like ‘WATCHYOURMOUTH’ which is just plain gorgeous. We have these beautiful flute sounds which remind me of the open world soundtrack of ‘Zelda: Breath of the Wild’. It has a folk quality to it that takes you away from any stress and makes your mind wonder! 

I also love Skip’s contribution to the track; he elevates it to that next level!

We even have tracks like ‘_NARCOLYMPiCS’ which kind of reminds me of Godzilla! It has that horror aspect, swaying chords in the repetitive motion that sounds like something’s coming at you! 

You’ve also got those thudding dreams that remind me of panic or intensity that you hear in those thriller movies! A very cinematic experience, and it’s further emphasised with the addition of my main guy, GUSTAVO, on the track! He absolutely nailed the verse!

These few examples are to showcase just how elevated and powerful the instrumentals (and features) are at this point! I know with his consistent release, it can be easy to come across ‘repetitive’ or ‘lacklustre’, but it’s definitely not the case here!

The features are absolutely incredible on this album. Not just the ones I already mentioned but all of them! The beauty of Jazzy’s albums is he always gives the features ample opportunity to take centre stage on the tracks they are on and showcase their abilities!

Every song is a platform for each featured MC to execute their talents! Obviously, we have GOMMi J on all of them, who absolutely nails his parts with the enthusiasm and conviction of anyone in the game!

Sharp lyricism and a quick wit that has him running circles around his competition!

The other names also show why they shouldn’t be ignored in this rap shit! Heading Rebel, The Sky Again was dope! Always loved his passionate and high-energy style. GUSTAVO is a given as he’s one of the slickest to do it yet!

But another feature I fucked with heavily was that of Jules Clay because he presented a more melodic and harmonious version of a verse, and it gave his specific song ‘_THANKGOD4Dis’ a more cinematic quality to it!

Overall, man, this is the most fun I’ve had with a Jazzy project since his one with Gustavo! Absolutely incredible beats and even better features! This is definitely one to look out for! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3eFS7rjCPvBCHh9EsuJdos?si=6RotMT2pSJGpZvlafgP8AA

(The Summer Pack 3)

What an incredible year this man is having. I’ve covered his last two drops this year and bought one on Bandcamp, and so far he’s had one of the most dynamic and consistent runs we’ve seen yet! Two incredible projects with equally dope producers, and now he’s decided it’s time to somewhat take the food off the gas and have a little fun with a short but flavour-packed project that’s sure to remind you of 

THE SUMMER.

Brand new EP by the one and only Termanology. This time around, he’s brought in production from the likes of 

-BUGSY H

-PAULY CICERO

-MELKS

-RONE

-NEF

-NASTEELUVZYOU

and features by 

-NIM K

-TEK

-TONY TOUCH

-EA$Y MONEY

-ISHA

-PASSPORT RAV

-STUNNAGANG

-C SHARP

Firstly, I can’t believe this project is less than 20 minutes long! That’s incredible because when you listen to this album, it feels a lot longer. It’s one of those EP’s that sweep you away and make you lose track of time until your Spotify switches to a new unrelated track, and you realise ‘shit, it’s over already,’ that happens to me several times over while preparing for this review.

What we have here are six different songs, all with their own unique vibe and characteristics that make them stand out on their own! For example, track one ‘Sunshine In The Summerstime’ consists of this literally ‘summer in a bottle’ atmosphere on this track.

You’ve got those gorgeous almost chipmunk-style vocal harmonies on the loop! Alongside that, we have these high-pitched chords subtly in the background and this mesmerising drum work that all comes together to make one of the most satisfying and smooth hip-hop songs I’ve heard in a minute!

Also, the way the track closes with more gorgeous vocals is incredible.

This track feels like a beautiful day out on the beach, surrounded by family and close friends just enjoying life! Incredible!

Then we have tracks like ‘Wild Puerto Ricans Pt 2’ which as the name suggests has a heavy ‘Puerto’ influence on the instrumentation. You have that Spanish flare in those piano keys, blasting horns and the occasional shakers and accompanied with that tradition hip hop beat acting as the skeleton of the track to keep everything together!

Honestly this track just feels like a good time! A track you want to dance in the street and have a few drinks and vibe to the night life! Very infectious track that eliminates all stress!

But we have mood switches such as on tracks like ‘I Don’t Wanna Fight’ which reminds me of one of those classic RnB/Hip Hop fusions that was so common in the 2000’s the 

Usher-My Boo

Chris Brown -No Air

Nelly-Dilemma 

Although this one is more hip hop grounded it still has the flavour of those tracks, those /high pitched vocal snippets that have been edited to sound like instruments! Those heavy atmospheric synth chords that sound dream like that remind of the 2000’s RnB era and honestly I love all of this!

Also, the performance by ISHA helps elevate this track with her sexual and emotional lyricism and themes to give this track it’s overall sensual nature and as someone who was raised in the era of tracks like this, I ain’t mad at it!

Even if you want to look at the final track ‘Deserve My Love’ which shows TERM take a more down to earth and personal route. You have those Jazz horns, light vocal loops and a methodical drum pattern that helps provide a more seriousness and heartfelt side to the man! 

Either way you look at it. Sonically this record is a goodie bag of various flavours and styles that is sure to fit everyone in one way or another! Again although only 18 minutes you get a range of music that most full length struggle to achieve!

As far as the MC work goes, if we talking about TERMINOLOGIES contributions then of course it’s on point. This guy wouldn’t know how to take an L if he re wrote the alphabet and left it out of the list. 

What separates his work on this one compares to his other two is I feel he’s more relaxed and making a project for fun where he can express himself freely, experiment with a variety of sounds and make something light and creative for the culture!

As discussed above he can make sexual tracks, fun Spanish vibe tracks to get the crowd dancing, a full summer blow out track and even a heartfelt personalised track about his career so far.

I feel on this album, he’s letting his mind do the writing and he’s just using what he’s feeling at the moment as his verses instead of worrying about making anything too concentrated’ or ‘conceptual’ and I fuck with that heavy!

The features he’s brought with him are all powerhouses in their own right! Although I feel they all KILLED IT! My favourite had to be my main man PASSPORT RAV. Another MC who’s had an incredible year and this feature verse further pushes that statement!

Overall, this was a phenomenal EP. It was fun, original and a good time to be had! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0oiIKHZZs5UN7FoVHTJwj9?si=9k8MZCkSS8Ce140bgoo4yQ