(Auto Trigger)

My Australian home boy is back! After his impressive release earlier this year, I’m excited to see what he has in store for us this time around, so let’s talk about it!

So, this is the latest album by rapper ‘Artwork Kennedy’, featuring production by Russian producer ‘KeiRy’. It’s described as inspired by anime and A.I.’s ability to destroy humanity.

Across this project, you have features such as

-Big Cheeko

-Jimmibones4president

And right off the bat, I fuck with this production-heavy! It has this electronic, synth feel to it. Exactly like an old-school NES game soundtrack would have, those eerie, apocalyptic sounds and doomed atmosphere are sick to hear across a hip-hop project! 

I also love the fluency of it all; there are very few pause moments between the 7 tracks; it’s just like a consistent, non-stopping song with various parts and sections to divide it. Considering this is the first time I’ve heard of this Russian producer, he absolutely nails his part! Fantastic and infectious as hell!

Artwork, first he needed money for a Porsche, now he’s trying to avoid an auto-trigger while providing dope, hypnotic, and cut-throat. A lot of droned, repetitive chorus statements as if he’s stuck in a game glitch and trying to process himself out of it.

He’s always had a solid flow and penmanship, and when given a concept to follow, he’s even more so! Slick bars, intricate lyricism, and sticks to the concept narrative! 

Overall, a fantastic visionary album with theatrical production, dope features, and top-notch MC content from Artwork! Another successful drop! 

https://artworkkennedy.bandcamp.com/album/auto-trigger

(The Estes Method)

THE UNDERGROUND 🐐 is back on his top-tier grime shit. He had some of the best drops of 2024 with 

-Northside

-BUSHMAN BODEGA

-Hare Brained Schemes 

And now, in the first LP of the year, he’s back with producer ‘Ghost Notes’ to drop what could be considered one of the hardest drops of 2025.

8 tracks with just under 20 minutes, with 19. With only one feature in fellow Umbrella Collective family ‘Pro Dillinger’, Daniel-Son is back on his solo shit and proving to everyone once again that he’s the one taking names in the underground and putting everyone on notice.

What I love about ‘Ghost Notes’ is his manipulation of those piano/jazz notes and fusing them into a string of tough, bloodthirsty Boom Bap bangers with a slight Dixieland twist. 

Every beat on this short project is cutthroat in nature, with your traditional loop samples and intricate and raw drum beats to create some

Of the most infectious and banging instrumentals you’ve heard in a minute!

Daniel-Son, who has spent the last few years utilising, grinding, and sharpening his skills until he’s at the point in his career where he’s one of the top 5 lyricists you can find in the game. His chilling monotone, dead serious style has become infamous. Every bar he spits sounds like he’s walking the streets as he’s talking, never any nonsense, just straight business.

His versatile wordplay and down-to-earth attitude and flow make for the perfect match with these ultra-grimey beats provided throughout his career and this album being no exception!

As usual, and as one of my favourite artists as of late, it’s always a treat to hear the high-energy, malicious aura of Pro Dillinger on a track. He always sounds like he’s two seconds away from coming out of your phone and mugging you in your own home. Absolute boss shit, and of course, he’s still the underground kingpin across this one.

My anticipation and hype for his first project of the year was well worth the wait, as expected. He hasn’t taken an L yet, and he’ll probably retire without ever knowing the meaning! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6b5WBALGvWU1C9bJMJGKsy?si=RJcndHoBTbGhRG0mEx0_fA

(MAYHEM)

I’ve always had the theory that whenever ‘Pop’ goes stale and ends up in a cycle of boring repetition is when Lady Gaga comes to save the day.

Every release she’s dropped in her career, regardless of the outcome, has stood as a symbol of ‘change’ and ‘innovation’ the likes of which this modern era hasn’t seen since. And once again, she’s come back to shake the industry up with MAYHEM.

This is the latest 2025 album release by singer, songwriter, and Art Pop icon Lady Gaga, who since her debut record ‘The Fame Monster’ has ushered in an era of music that I’m not quite sure anyone has done since. Her creativity, originality, image, and various open opinions and stances have made her one of the most memorable and pulverising figures in the music industry of the 21st century.

With this record, she breaks out strong with various styles and elements such as: 

-Dubstep

-Electronic

-Pop

-Dancehall 

-Rave

– Singer-songwriter

-Soft Rock

-Soul

-RnB

-Synth Pop 

She’s literally a walking music board with endless possibilities and ideas to choose from for her songs. Of course, the world was rocked with her lead single ‘Abracadabra’, which was an infectious Electronic Pop fusion that left us all in a dancing trance around the world to her hypnotic choruses and chaotic energy as she’s so often known.

But there are also many amazing cuts off this project such as ‘Zombieboy’, which sounds like a multi-verse take on a Synth Pop thriller song. It has a strong 80’s club hit vibe with soft rock instrumentation and equally throwback singing melodies by Gaga to match that era.

There’s also the track ‘Disease’, the opening track that I absolutely love! It has this dubstep-type beat that just flows throughout your whole body, and Gaga sounds as possessed as ever, slave to the production’s groove and acting accordingly. 

The only song I didn’t feel fit this album’s narrative was the finale ‘Die With A Smile’ featuring Bruno Mars. Which is by no means a bad song! But I felt stuck out like a sore thumb due to the album’s more malice and chaotic nature that song feels too ‘tame’ in comparison.

But besides this, once again Lady Gaga has used her talent to shake the music world once again and prove why she can never be replaced! She is one of a kind! She is the world’s ‘Fame Monster’

https://open.spotify.com/album/2MHUaRi9OCyTN02SoyRRBJ?si=Ach9OuPoR9GYiVvXUGSIdg

(Dopamine)

I don’t think it will be a stretch to say this could be the hardest 7 minutes of your life. Just hear me out.

This latest EP by Hank Dope features 5 quick-paced songs produced by my main man KHEYZINE, who has produced more than a handful of my favourite records of the year already, and he’s back to present another modern-day killer.

Across this project, Hank hires a list of MC savages such as

-Tragedy Monroe

-Reek Osama

And this trio absolutely redefines the meaning of ‘Grime’ with their cold-hearted flow, precise lyricism, and mean-mugging flow. No matter which one of them is on the beat, they all bring out the same street energy that only the real ones have, the kind of aura that you can’t fake, the vibe of OG’s certified.

The production side of things is, of course, terrific. KHEYZINE hasn’t missed yet, and I’m not sure he knows how to take a L if he tried. Across this one, he masters the art of Boom Bap Grime. It sounds like he captured the real-life atmosphere of the streets and somehow managed to convert that to an MP3 file, split it into 5 parts, and used it for the instrumentals.

It’s raw, unforgiving, ruthless, and neck-splitting. An audio mean-mugging with the intention to kill.

If you don’t like this album, it just means you couldn’t handle it. Only haters of this EP are bitches who had to face 7 minutes of authenticity and fled. Trust me, check this shit out!

https://open.spotify.com/album/1fUVEx2KFwOITgw2DeBp9Q?si=hS_pOgBLQr6mTwsi_rKeMw

(Caviar Music)

I couldn’t find a better name for this EP if I tried. This truly is the definition of ‘Caviar Music.’ Let’s get to it!

So, this is the latest EP by rapper The Musalini and producer SwuM, who has done more than his time in the industry to prove his worth in gold. This time around, this duo is here to make more than waves, and it would be in your best interest to be swept away by it!

5 songs, 12 minutes. From the very beginning, you can hear just how magnificent this album is in its sound and nature. You can tell they’ve put in the work to make sure this sounds as bougie and high-end as possible. From the funky instrumentation to the crisp, clean-cut production,  and to do all this in under 15 minutes is praise-worthy indeed!

Whether you’re talking about the track ‘1800 CALL ME,’ which sounds like a 70’s fever dream with those synth keys and that female vocal loop sample playing in the background! 

Or even that opening track ‘Large Pro,’ that sounds like a deep soul cut from the 80’s with those elegant, smooth, organic instruments  as if the band is right behind them playing live something I can imagine Bootsy Collins would play!

My point being. This is definitely the definition of ‘luxurious’ sounds, and to be done so masterfully is even more reason to be impressed!

Now onto Musalini, the man who is every part fancy as the album sounds and production. His extra-smooth delivery and flow. His effortless wordplay and penmanship across these tracks melts like butter on the page.

His velvet-like voice just becomes one with the sensational beats, and it makes for one of the most memorable EP’s of the year! 

Across this project, he also has

-YL

-Willyynova

-Revenxnt

-Putwork

-Silent Snipers

All invited to join this luxury exhibition and all put their skills in to help add to the splendour of the EP as a whole!

Overall, a hype-worthy project that may only be 12 minutes but feels like a rich ride you won’t forget anytime soon!

https://open.spotify.com/album/5N6OLXagAe3yDqsNhZ5fYi?si=HP8P2b0YTtC4Kfk2goyowQ

(Elevator Music)

The wait is finally over! The highly anticipated instrumental release by one of Hip-Hop’s most critically acclaimed producers is here, so let’s fucking talk about it!

This is a 15-track, 49-minute endeavour by Apollo Brown. A man who in the last 3 years alone has released some of the greatest albums made in the last decade. 

Philmore Greene -The Cost of Living

CRIMEAPPLE -This, Is Not That, to name a few. But this time around, not only is he going solo but also completely instrumental! Something I’ve been excited about since I heard the news because of just how high-calibre of an artist he is. I knew this would turn out fantastic, and I was right.

I’m not lying when I say this album gave me goosebumps. To hear Apollo dig into an unknown territory with the inspirations of 

-Ambient

-Lo-Fi

-Chill Wave

-Soul

-Glo-Fi. Most of these I’ve never heard used by him, but combined with his mastery of production, you get a tranquil and beautiful soundscape unlike anything you’re likely to hear this year or the next few.

The gentle and serene atmosphere that’s created on this experience is nothing shy of extraordinary. It’s the type of album you’d use to reduce stress, gather your thoughts, let your imagination wander, and your mind calm. 

There’s never a break in the patterns. From one moment to the next, nothing is done to snap you out of this marvellous fever dream that will take hold for the 49-minute duration.

Such a bold and wonderful statement to make for Apollo at this stage in his career. Dare I say, despite the instrumental aspect and no vocals, that this could be seen in time as Brown’s magnum opus? 

I ask all hip-hop fans alike to give this album a chance and experience for yourself the magic of ‘Elevator Music’.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0jf8OZSYK80DHzMBfMv3gr?si=IAq6u2JSRfSCoBDDvg-WSA

(Supreme)

Do we have a treat for you today or what? When you think of big-time hip-hop albums, you can’t come up with anything bigger than this! So let’s talk about it!

So, this is an album by Grand Official featuring members: 

-Producer (Grip)

-MC (Dose)

-DJ (Hallucin8)

And for this record, it features 18 tracks with a truckload of features such as: 

-Teflon

-Fame

-Adlife

-KRS One

-DJ Skizz

-Ras Kass

-Ominous Chambers Studios

-Reagan Era

-CAPPADONNA

-M.O.P

-Billy Danze

-Expertise

-Skrill Dior

-Halo The Lost Angel

-Dios Negasi

– Sneak Rothstein

-The Beat Minerz

– Mr. Walt

That is a STACK of features if I’ve ever seen one, but despite the size of the feature roster, they make this album sound so crisp and larger than life that it all comes together to sound like one of those quality collaboration records from the 90s similar to projects like:

– Dr. Dre 2001 with lots of artists but done in such a strong way that no one points that out as a fault! 

Starting with the production, as I said above, this thing defines the definition of grand! It literally sounds like they took all the best parts about the 90s quality, consistency, mixing, and mastering and modernised it to create this one-of-a-kind record.

From the very first track ‘Supreme’, we get banger instrumentals that remind me closer to the West Side ‘G Funk’ vibes with smooth yet strong beats with funky and infectious choruses that will force your body to move on its own once the sounds course through your body and into all your organs, making you feel like G walking across the street once this album is in your headphones! It’s that damn good!

As far as the rapping side goes, Dose himself has this strong flow and lyricism that stands out with his strong tone. Not only that, but you can tell by his studio cadence, rhythm, and wordplay that he has a strong character and personality which suits this level of production well! The way he sways along the tracks and leaves lyrical fire on every inch of the song he’s on!

As mentioned above, he brought with him a gang of various legends and men who helped mould the culture! Even across these iconic names, he’s holding his own with ease, proving his MC strength and talent!

It’s a crime this album was as overlooked as it was. With the amount of talent across this one, as well as the quality of the production, this one should be on everyone’s go-to! Make sure you don’t repeat the mistake and go check it out now! 

(Domingre Gang)

Let’s start by saying this: Tarantino’s best movie is ‘The Hateful Eight’. Now that’s out of the way. Let’s cover this latest single!

Produced by Dios Negasi and featuring the services of Young Zee, they both bring their own level of heat to the track that makes them the definition of a dynamic duo!

Firstly, that production is addictive as fuck. Has this soothing flute? Sound at the opening that soon changes into this piano-key-heavy boom-bap beat with minimal drums in the background and a head-nodding rhythm that you could play for hours and not get sick of!

Starting with Dios, his style is level-headed, calm, and collective with clever wordplay, clever puns, and penmanship that mashed well with the beat at hand!

On the backend of the track, Zee presents this unpredictable, manic, and chaotic verse that talks about the most outrageous shit, from having anal sex with someone’s wife, killing someone’s baby, and more. His voice is also more all over the place and frantic in comparison to the first, which presents an interesting spectrum of styles that you don’t normally see on a track! 

Overall, great theme, infectious beat, original verses, and they all come together nicely! Definitely check it out! 

https://youtu.be/vlAXcUVPnx0?si=KorOcyEkLyylqN2E

(10 Bags)

After hearing two rather introspective singles from Snotty from what I can only assume is off his upcoming album with ‘GoodPhella’, I was surprised and hyped to see him back on his grime traditional Umbrella Collective hardcore shit on this one! 

This is quite possibly the hardest two minutes you’ll hear in hip hop this year. With a looping string beat over these fast-paced distorted sounds in the background and done on a tough, dirty boom Bap beat to knock your head off!

On this one, Snotty ain’t playing no games! He’s done soul searching; he’s now back to taking names, and when he’s on his game, no one—and I mean no one— is matching his skill.

This track gave me goosebumps because it’s just him, a cold beat, and a 2-minute stopwatch, and for someone as relentless as he is, that’s more than enough to rip the game in two and put everyone on notice.

I don’t know if this upcoming LP will be a more personal listen, if it will feature the majority of trademark ruthless vibes, but whatever the case, this track to me serves as a reminder to the industry that just because he’s been working on himself through sonic therapy, the killer is dead. It’s part of him, and when we see it unleashed, the culture stops. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6MQlzWXWLjE8f9eZgnQGJ1?si=AkGRF7eUS9KPPLezcKi60Q

(The Pierre Hotel)

It’s common knowledge. When two or more equally large powers come together, there’s bound to be a collision of epic proportions. Today, we will discuss such an example, the theory put into practice.

This is the latest collaboration project between the following:

-The Musalini

-DJ Skizz

-Silent Snipers

All three names have put in work in the underground to make their marks and become infamous in their own lanes. This time around, they decided to join forces for a sonic ‘big bang’, and that’s exactly what this is.

Across the 10 tracks available, we get some of the smoothest, soulful, Lo-Fi atmosphere I’ve heard all year. This kind of sound not only feels high class but is high class in every aspect. 

From the glossy, crisp, and clean notes and slow-paced drums to that beautifully orchestrated piano keys to the subtle use of vocal loops across certain tracks, this thing feels like a sonic stress relief for the soul. 

The cohesive nature of the beats, as they not only complement but merge into the track coming, is made to look effortless. There’s never an awkward angle or spot that breaks the continuous motion of the production, just soothing and satisfying tracks from 1-10.

If the atmospheric bliss wasn’t enough to draw your attention, you have Musalini and Snipers coming at you with their own rendering of passionate, balanced, and focused rhymes that ride alongside the instrumentals as smoothly as any has before.

Each word, bar, and verse by both just slides off the tongue with ease; there’s no forceful energy or emotion, just relaxed penmanship that reeks of confidence and peace of mind. When these two spit, they do so powered by euphoria and ecstasy.

Across this project, it does feature the likes of: 

-Milano Constantine 

-Starker

-Smoke DZA

-Famous AAA

-YL

-Planet Asia

-Fashawn

And they offer their own takes and energy across these tracks, which provides memorable verses that I feel do help add to the nuance of the record as a whole, and of course, the names listed are more than credited in the underground scene! 

A fantastic late January edition to the culture. I wish I had discovered this sooner, but regardless, definitely a worthwhile listen! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/026M96GNiKsM6f2SdeJfvC?si=XGDM3zGdRs2I5tdddHPd8A