Ships Sail is a new single from NY-based artist, LongliveMoses. This incredibly unique, avant garde hip hop jam features ambient backing music and creatively structured vocal delivery. The music takes the listener on a “Final Fantasy like,” meditative odyssey. Ships Sail is just very artful and ethereal. With its melodic beat and cerebral vibe, this music will elevate your consciousness as you allow yourself to get lost in the sound. The vocals are pleasant to listen to and somewhat hypnotic. This is a true indie hip hop song in that feels more like a genuine work of art than a consumer product. Even the cover art conveys this aesthetically, as it resembles more of an arthouse indie pop or new age album cover than a hip hop one. Production is smooth, and the mix is softly oceanic. This track is really a cut above.
As a musician, producer or content creator, it can be frustrating to find backing music and beats online to use for your projects. There’s usually some gimmick associated with services that offet beats, or you simply get stuck with the same basic, crappy presets that can be heard in a zillion other songs. The beats (and I listened to quite a few of them) at FreeBeats.io are of label quality and suitable for professional recording projects. Nothing, cheap or “homebrew.” They are also available right there on Youtube and simple to browse. You don’t have to go mining the depths of some obscure, buggy database to find these jams. Many of the beats are hip hop oriented, catering to a plethora of moods and sub-genres, but there are also some pop and EDM adjacent instrumental backings as well. They even have a pop punk, Blink 182 style track, which does in fact capture the authentic pop punk sound. There’s not much more to say. Just check out their channel and listen to the beats for yourself. Make sure to read the fine print and respect their guidelines if you decide to make use of any of their music.
Let’s Ride is a new single from Salt Lake City based artist, J.T. Hiskey. Haters can say what they want about this jam, but it has all the ingredients of a viral hit in the making. First off, the production is clean, and the audio is very high quality. The song blends elements of country, alternative and hip hop but does it a way that’s more mellow and laid back than something abrasive like Kid Rock. The ambiance here is closer to 90’s Beck. This is one of those songs that people will claim is super annoying while secretly singing along to it. The catchphrase “Let’s Ride” is repeated to an almost comical degree (though clearly J.T. has done this with a “tongue in cheek” self awareness) and will absolutely be burned into your brain. The song’s brief runtime (1:37) and macarena-like verses make Let’s Ride an instant pajama party classic. Hiskey clearly has a lot of talent and knows how to write a catchy song. I’ll ride with this guy anytime…Let’s Ride!
LAPTOP AND A MIC is a new full album from Miami-based hip hop artist, 2millie. Featuring 11 salubrious tracks, this release is brimming with energy and electric vitality. The beats are mostly synth driven, with an atmosphere ranging from “bright and uplifting” to edge of your seat intensity. The musical sound is very cinematic and could almost hit like EDM if this were strictly an instrumental recording.
2millie (whose moniker is a reference to a car accident he survived when he was young) delivers his rhymes with pure dedication. Vague and Ambiguous song titles like You know and Yeah I know conceal lyrics which actually go into great detail about personal pain and life struggles. His delivery style would best be described as “stream of consciousness.” As he allows his deepest thoughts to play out in his head, they are converted into the form of a rhythmic monologue for the listener to enjoy. Many of the songs express romantic sentiments, dealing honestly with subjects such as longing, conquest, jealousy and heartbreak.
There’s an element of voyeurism when one listens to this album, because we get the sense we’re overhearing messages meant for certain people specifically. It’s like listening to someone read a letter they wrote before sending it out. If there’s a consistent theme throughout LAPTOP AND A MIC, it’s one of perseverance and personal resilience, of overcoming obstacles and pushing forward.
Assuming the title of the album relates to the gear he’s working with in creating LAPTOP AND A MIC, production quality is quite good, all things considered. The mix is tight and overall the audio is ambient and non-abrasive. The title also serves as kind of metaphor for the artist’s minimalist and substantive approach. Nothing too flashy, just a guy “riding alone,” the engine of his creativity fueled by raw passion. My favorite types of indie hip hop albums are the ones that are intensely personal and sincere. This one definitely falls into that category. 2millie doesn’t attempt to emulate rap superstars or construct some cardboard, “larger than life” persona as a facade. He does not even seem preoccupied with being perceived as stylish. Rather, the focus here is on realism and facing the curves that life throws at you.
Hatemonger is a new single from Indian hip hop artist, Atishbaz (Mo Boucher). After a 6 year hiatus, Mo gloriously returns to the scene with this fresh and highly anticipated jam. Mo Boucher and his associates from the crew “Thugs Unit” are rumored to be the only Urdu rappers in the entire world. This particular song is pimp tight, and I have to say is one of the most interesting hip hop releases I’ve ever heard. It blends melodic elements from traditional Indian music with hip hop and even Jamaican vibes. While some of the lyrics are in Urdu, there’s a substantial amount of English spoken (as one might ascertain from the title) as well. A few listens, and I guarantee you’ll be singing along with lyrical gems like “Hatemonger! Round the clock I be spitting hate on ya!” The vocal interplay is impressively choreographed, and the structural dynamics of the sound are solid. This jam is musically, artistically and mathematically legit. The timing makes all the difference in this type of track, and it is on point here. The guys from Thugs Unit may be the only Urdu rap game in town, but they still manage to perform at a high level. Their upcoming album is called Resurrection 040. Be sure to keep an eye out for it.
In the Shit is the debut single from Georgia-based artist, QTdabutcha. QT lays it down eloquently in this lucid and frank track, which features haunting beats and faint piano melodies. The artist offers up a pressure cooked batch of emotion, refreshing in both its honestly and expressions of angst. QTdabutcha doesn’t hold anything back as he discusses his troubles and triumphs. The song combines elements of hip hop and soulful, old school R&B. In the Shit manages to pack quite a punch for its modest 2:38 runtime. There are a number of catchy lines repeated that make this jam a quietly memorable “sleeper hit.” QT obviously has some skills in the delivery/flow deparment and above average singing chops. This is a pretty solid debut, and more importantly it establishes QTdabutcha’s distintive style, which is actually unique.
Black Rose Project is the debut independent album from artist, Manny Maserati. Released on the Street Allure Music Group record label, this album contains a whopping 15 adrenaline packed tracks. Super stylish and occasionally retro backing music sets the stage for Manny’s no-nonsense delivery and commanding vocal presence. His lyrics are less cliche than those of most hip hop adjacent releases. He often goes into great detail and uses creative metaphors and similes, occasionally even incorporating medical terminology into his songs. I found myself wondering if maybe this guy even spent some time in med school. There’s a worldly “jack of all trades” element to his writing and just a ton of substance here.
The ambiance ranges from laid back to intense, but all songs are lively and action-oriented. For example, the title track Black Rose is formidably engaging, while Flooded Jewels is more of a getaway car jam. Black Rose Project is professionally put together, and it would still be impressive even if it wasn’t a debut album.
Shoes on the Chevy is a new single from Alabama-based hip hop artist, Kiyahotpeppa. This song is full and rich with teriffic sonic quality. From an audiophile perspective I’d have to consider this to be one of the most pleasing mixes I’ve ever heard in this genre. It just hits all the right frequencies. Blending elements of hip hop, pop and R&B, the music never veers too far off in one direction. The appeal is very mainstream and approachable. Kiyahotpeppa values sincerity and realism, and one can sense this expression in the tone of his delivery. B.Unique’s backing vocals help to soften and smooth out the edges of the track, accentuating the eloquence of Kiyahotpeppa’s vocals. The ambiance is mellow but determined, as Kiyahotpeppa comes across as profound without being aggressive or arrogant. Shoes on the Chevy is an excellent and enchanting piece of music. This guy does a fine job of representing the Birmingham music scene.
320 is a new album from hip hop artist, Trey Dilla. At first glance this might seem like a straightforward hip hop release, but it quickly becomes clear that the backing music is much more complex and better quality than most standard hip hop fare. The background makes use of a lot of soft chimes and ambient synths while being anchored by firm beats. Trey’s delivery is often conversational and reflective. It almost has the feel of a “fireside chat” in rap form. His vocals are just very engaging and sincere. He oscillates between a range of emotions in these songs, often displaying surprising sensitivity. Some of the tracks contain romantic undertones, while others (such as Look at Us) are full blown love songs. The opening jam, Southside Everywhere is a hard hitting, nostalgic trip that slowly gives way to making plans about the future.
Trey Dilla can obviously rap decently, but what’s more interestng to me is that he’s actually a good poet and songwriter. Many technically good rappers are not necessarily good writers. Trey’s abilities as a lyricist seem highly advanced, perhaps indicating a background in creative writing, or maybe he just puts a lot of heart into his work. No problems with the production. Everything is clean, and he doesn’t muddy up the vocals by using a lot of processing or autotune. Just a nice smooth sound.
Jasmine is a new single from New York artists, Jxhar and DenZe. The release is part of their upcoming collaborative effort called Don’t Play With Fire. There’s actually a video for this jam, and I have to say it’s one of the better indie music videos I’ve seen recently. There’s an actual narrative, and it’s filmed in a split screen style, with a soap opera visual aesthetic. It’s almost like watching an intro to a televsion show. Romantic undertones, communication struggles and dramatic relationship dynamics play out in the lyrics in a way that will resonate with listeners of all types. Watching the couple bicker gives the track a voyeuristic, reality tv vibe. As far as the musical aspect, it’s a pretty straightforward pop song with solid production and vocal performances. It will definitely get people interested and wanting to see more from these artists. They’re definitely off to a great start, and I highly anticipate the release of the rest of this project.
