Author: befree

By Christian Peeney

I’ve been following NxG for a while. We attended the same college, so I started listening to his music around 2018-2019. Back then, he had released his EP, Note To Self, which has since been removed from streaming services. It was more of a melodic album, something akin to Frank Ocean or Daniel Caesar. Personally, I loved this NxG sound.

As time went on, NxG further developed his sound, with his hit single “Eyy Yeah!” and his EP Genesis, moving away from the RnB influences and into more rap. However, with release after release, I had seen some of his haters call him a clone. They compared him to Trippie Redd, Playboi Carti, and Lil Uzi Vert, calling him a ripoff of those artists. This album, Equilibrium, seems to be a direct response to those haters. As he said on Twitter shortly after the release: “I found balance. I found equilibrium”. This is the most NxG sounding project I have heard from him, and I’m happy to see he’s settled in on his unique sound. This project is, as the title suggests, an equilibrium between all of NxG’s influences and his own unique sound.

Songs like “FELL IN LUV $$” and “Bleachers” use a Carti-type dark and synth-heavy beat, but NxG comes in with his own high-energy vocal delivery. Other songs like “Yeah Yeah” and “524” lean a little more into the slower, melodic sound of the Note To Self era, while still leaving room for NxG to spit some insightful bars. Regardless of the sound, he comes in on a track with an energy and passion that shows you he’s truly having fun making this music.

One of my favorite songs, and favorite stories, from this album is “524 (Stacking Game Song)”. Now, this may seem like an odd title for a song. A snippet of this song had been teased on NxG’s TikTok account for MONTHS before this album dropped. Every time he’d use this sound, he would also use the “Stacking Game” filter, in which the player blinks to stack blocks into a tower. Most of these videos challenged his viewers to beat his score. His audience did just that and used his snippet every time. Looking under this sound, you’ll find over 800 videos of random TikTok users (including myself) playing the Stacking Game. It was an odd, but (in my opinion) very smart, marketing strategy to get people excited for the song. So, now that it’s released, it only makes sense to call it the “Stacking Game Song”.

Equilibrium is more than just a stepping stone in NxG’s career. It’s more of a pedestal, on which he can stand and proclaim to the world what kind of artist he is. It’s a high point, coming after performing with Lil Skies and writing a song for the Philadelphia Eagles. Much of the lyrical content of this project consists of NxG reflecting on his journey, from bedroom artist to someone who’s “Next Up”. He’s done a lot to get where he is, and he deserves to brag a little. With tight production, great hooks, and an overall exciting atmosphere, Equilibrium is a truly remarkable project, not just for what it sounds like, but for what it represents. NxG should be on your watchlist: it’s only uphill from here.

Stream Equilibrium out on all streaming services.

If you’re looking for an exciting rising artist coming out of Chicago’s musical hotbed- look no further than TG Fee. Having recently released his single “HighestShelf”, the prolific musician has already followed it up with an engaging new music video that capture’s the track’s personality rich sound and charisma.

Produced by Whothehelliscarlo, “HighestShelf” makes for a soulful, vibrant new offering from the THRAXX GANG artist, who has been steadily rising in the Chi and beyond. “HighestShelf” also showcases Fee’s focus as a lyricist as he delivers insightful, honest lyrics that hit home with each bar. The engaging accompanying visual finds Fee giving a commanding performance of the track, and utilizes fast-paced cuts to capture the song’s vital, inspired energy. “HighestShelf” makes for a release overall, further proving that the rising Chicago artist is here to stay. 

Watch the video for “HighestShelf” here:

Miami artist A-D has returned with a vibrant new single called “Lovesong.mp3”. Following up engaging recent singles “10v1” and “Take Me”, “Lovesong.mp3” finds the Divert Music Group artist delivering an emotive, groove-heavy release that expands upon the songwriting displayed in his previous offerings to make for an enticing and energizing final product.

“Lovesong.mp3″‘s production is silky yet bass-heavy, containing epic synths, deep, expansive bass, and uplifting keys that merge to create a vivid concoction. Atop the powerful instrumentation, A-D delivers a series of sharply-crafted melodies that linger in the listener’s head long after, making for an infectious cut. The track builds dynamically until it reaches a colorful crescendo, as pumping percussion and rich 808s give the track more layers.

“Lovesong.mp3” is a strong offering from the Divert Music Group artist that finds his songwriting abilities matching the quality of the instrumental for a track that captivates throughout.

Listen to “Lovesong.mp3” now:

Connect with A-D: Instagram

By Damilola Grey

Dami: What inspired you to start making music?

Luke Simo: I had been singing my whole life and performing in theater and choir. However, I didn’t start writing anything until high school when I started writing poetry. I then had a school performance where I covered “Gimme All Your Love” by Alabama Shakes and a friend of mine who wrote compositions wanted to work with me and I wrote my songs. I was also inspired in general by songwriters like Amy Winehouse and Ari Lennox who were very honest and upfront in their writing.

Dami: What’s your creative process like?

Luke Simo: It is always in collaboration with other creatives. Whether it be a composer/musician or producer, I am never the person writing the chord progressions or making the beats. I am always searching for things that touch me and I either write melodies and lyrics over them or try to take poems that I have already written and piece them together with a melody over whatever music I am using.

Dami: How would you describe your sound?

Luke Simo: I would say that I am still finding my sound and experimenting with different styles of production and writing. My first single “Mom” was heavily influenced and recorded with solely acoustic instruments in a big sanctuary. However, my next couple songs I am planning to release are written over lo-fi beats. I would leave in the future to do something influenced with folk and soul similar to Faye Webster’s most recent album. In the end, I want my sound to be ever-evolving as long as my writing can touch people.

Dami: What do you want people to take away after listening to your music?

Luke Simo: I hope that they feel less alone and feel like they can relate to some of the emotions I write about in my music.

Dami: Speaking of music, tell us more about your latest single “Mom”.

Luke Simo: “Mom” started out as a composition by Geoff Gallante and a poem that I wrote that we were able to put together to make the song. It was recorded live in a sanctuary with a baby grand, upright bass, and drums. I released it on my mom’s birthday and it’s a vulnerable, experimental jazz record about the evolution of our relationship.

Dami: Can you tell us a bit more about the relationship between y’all?

Luke Simo: Within the context of the song, I narrate the history of our relationship and how it started- “Love struck by force, a new beginning, a blank slate, a new life, the source of a new happiness”- and the nature of our relationship growing up- “She holds onto me never far, forever if she had that long”- and then as I grew up, how our relationship evolved- “changing with the leaves, I slip away day by day”. The ending resolves with my realization of how she helps me grow into who I am today.

Dami: Who would you say you are today?

Luke Simo: Someone who is trying to listen to themselves and love themselves more each day.

Dami: How is it being a queer artist tryna make it to the mainstream?

Luke Simo: As an artist and queer person overall, I am constantly trying to find ways to express myself especially because of how much I hid who I was growing up due to people making me feel as though I should be ashamed of who I am. I feel most authentic to myself in how I’m physically present in the world and when I make music. In terms of being an artist and pursuing music, it is hard because people always want you to fit into a mix so that they can try to understand you with their preconceived notions of who a queer person or artist is instead of making the effort of getting to know us. I appreciate the support the queer community has given me as an artist thus far, however sometimes it is hard to be a queer artist that makes art that is “left-field” or “lo-fi” or anything that isn’t pop or house music because mainstream audiences don’t care to see queer people as a multi-faceted group of people. It is not necessarily my goal to be a mainstream artist and have the entire world know my name and my music. However, I do want to try to grow a community around my music and it would be amazing to be able to travel and perform.

Dami: What’s next for you after “Mom”?

Luke Simo: Lots. I have a couple singles I am planning to release with production credits from Jay Bel and Sir Froderick. I have a little live EP that I recorded with my band that’s almost finished. I am working with the collective “Hidden Renaissance” and plan to be featured on some of their upcoming projects and I am always playing shows usually, at least once a month.

Dami: What should we expect from the EP?

Luke Simo: The singles are leading up to a lo-fi soul EP that is a reflection of my growing into adulthood and a kind of farewell to my adolescence. It is old school soul melodies and du-wop inspired background vocals over lo-fi beats that sample the records that my writing is inspired by. The live EP is the re-imagined version of these songs in a live setting. The live recordings are sped up to give it a cute lo-fi chipmunk feel that’s super fun. The live EP will be released after the singles, and lead up to the lo-fi soul EP.

Dami: What would you say has been your biggest achievement as an
artist?

Luke Simo: It would have to be any of the following; working with Jay Bel, Sir Froderick, the Hidden Renaissance collective, Geoff Gallante, and Chloe Moore. Getting featured on an Apple Music editorial playlist and ThatGoodShits/Annabelle Kline’s “SMALL ARTISTS, BIG SOUNDS” playlist or getting to play shows with so many amazing artists.

Listen to Luke Simo‘s single “Mom” here:

By Damilola Grey

TOVA has finally dropped his highly anticipated project “Care PKG”. The 5-track EP is graced by two previously released tracks “7 Days” and “Island”. “Care PKG” also marks TOVA’s second EP this year.

On “Care PKG”, TOVA takes us on a journey of different emotions. From personal favorite, “Wonder”, where TOVA questions everything, to the earlier released single “7 Days”, where TOVA talks about his work ethic and how watching his parents work really hard inspired him to work even harder to make them proud, to “Losing Friends” in which, as the name implies, TOVA talks about losing friends while chasing success. We also can’t forget about “Lei’s Lounge” where TOVA addresses a woman who did him dirty and didn’t appreciate his sacrifices for her, as well as using him for her selfish desires.

“Care PKG” is a burst of emotions which TOVA successfully executed in such a short project, while blessing us with ethereal vocals reminiscent of Frank Ocean. TOVA has shown us, with this project, why he should be on the lookout for as “Care PKG” is one of the best RnB projects to grace the underground scene in the past couple years.

Stream Care PKG below:

Stream on all platforms HERE.

By Todd Anderson

Dylan Rhine, who goes by the stage name Deetrxll, celebrated this year with some exciting news about his music career. He recently released a new song “Coke Boy”, has peaked at # 18 on Apple’s UK Top 100 Hip Hop Chart.  

Deetrxll has put a lot of work into his music career behind the scenes. However, he wasn’t handed this opportunity easily. What a lot of people didn’t know about this hip-hop artist is that he’s also a soldier in the US Army National Guard working out of Del Rio,Texas.

Music has always been Deetrxll’s dream, but he knew he had to find a way to fund his career, which he was able to do through the army.

When asked why he was passionate about his music career, Spc Rhine/Deetrxll  explained that it gave him an outlet to channel his experiences while also having his work reach people around the world.

“Coke Boy” is an infectious track that utilizes atmospheric, infectious production and memorable, catchy melodies to convey a luxurious, sleek sound. It appears on his new album Underrated 2, which is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud.

Listen to “Coke Boy” now and get familiar with the rising artist:

19 year-old Vancouver artist Marto has shared a fresh new visual for his song “Innocent”, produced by Joshwa. The artist, whose music frequently blends idiosyncratic experimentation with relatability for an engaging, progressive listen, continues his streak of prolific releases with “Innocent.” The track’s forward-thinking style and colorful sonics make it a suitable soundtrack for the digital age, and its new accompanying visual does well to enhance its energizing mood.

“Innocent”‘s vibrant production contains summery, balmy guitars drifting atop fast-paced drums that draw influence from electronic genres like DnB as well as indie rock. Vocally, Marto delivers dextrous, airy melodies that linger in the listener’s head, showcasing his sharp songwriting abilities. Full of energy and charisma, the track captivates the listener with its genre-bending sound.

The accompanying visual, shot at iconic Canadian sites such as the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Garden in Vancouver as well as Drumheller in Alberta by Sam Taye, is colorful and poignant. It utilizes rapid, saturated shots to capture the track’s infectious youthfulness and unceasing vitality, while also featuring an entertaining performance from Marto that keeps the viewer glued to the screen throughout.

The latest from Marto, “Innocent” makes for a forward-thinking, vivid release and has us excited for what may be coming next from him.

Watch the video for “Innocent” now:

Connect with Marto: Instagram | Twitter

Bronx artist Charlie Wayy has shared a new full-length album titled Sweet Sixteen. Raised in the Webster Houses, Wayy has developed a heartfelt, uncompromisingly authentic style built upon a foundation of sharply-crafted, vivid lyricism and raw production. His latest project Sweet Sixteen continues to demonstrate his venomous pen game, as he weaves hard-hitting bars atop luxurious yet grimy instrumentation.

Wayy wastes no time in delivering the goods, kicking off the project in a strong fashion with “Vancourtland.” With true-to-life lyricism and nocturnal production, “Vancourtland” paints an unfiltered picture across its 1-minute run time. “Tailor Tape” contains some clever bars that will have listeners rewinding throughout to catch everything, underscored by an elegant instrumental. “Sunday Service”, featuring j nics, brings in a slightly different sound with cloudier, uplifting production centred around atmospheric keys and glowing vocal samples, showcasing Wayy’s versatility. “Penn Station”, featuring a beat from accomplished producer Neako, provides a project highlight with graceful keys playing out beneath Wayy’s poetic, deft verses. “Soulè Food”, with MARQUIS, utilizes winding vocal samples and refined keys to create a colorful sound palette.

A versatile, focused set of 16 tracks that remain thoughtful and honest throughout, Sweet Sixteen, executively produced by Ricky Mapes, presents another strong offering from the prolific Charlie Wayy.

Listen to Sweet Sixteen now:

Virginia-based duo Allyn and jsn. have shared a fresh new EP called CHROME SOUL. The pair of talented artists, who originally met in 2021, now share their debut with this project, an engaging, sharply-crafted set of 9 tracks that showcase their chemistry and keen sense for evocative songwriting.

A cinematic, vibrant project explores a journey into the joys of a new relationship, letting go of past issues and pains, acceptance of what you truly need, and the focus it requires to continue on in life while staying true to the one you love the most. It is a poignant EP from the duo that makes a strong statement as their first release.

After the thought-provoking intro “INITIALIZATION”, CHROME SOUL kicks off in an expressive fashion with “P.O.V.”, an immersive track that introduces the group’s luscious sound and focused songwriting. Containing spacey, layered instrumentation centred around expansive, watery keys grounded by grooving, textural percussion. “BAGGAGE / SERVICELIGHTS” follows up next and provides an engaging, cohesive accompaniment, with elegant grooves and silky, addictive vocals. “HALFWAY” slows down the pace with syrupy, warm grooves that provide an excellent soundtrack to the latter months of summer, while demonstrating the group’s diversity and providing a dynamic offering. The project closes out on a high note with “FORWARD”, an atmospheric, glowing song that features some of the project’s most infectious vocals, making for an emotive crescendo that finishes CHROME SOUL in a graceful manner.

The latest from Virgina-based duo Allyn & jsn., CHROME SOUL makes for a captivating, potent debut release, providing a diverse set of songs that provide much replay value.

Listen to CHROME SOUL now:

By Trey Fox

Killer Kane is a prolific producer and engineer hailing from New Jersey. He’s widely known in the underground for his deadly sample chops and infusion of sound collages across film and television. While Kane has created a distinctive sound, he’s known for his ability to craft specific soundscapes for a myriad of notable indie hip-hop acts. He’s worked with artists such as Rich Jones, Sleep Sinatra, Teller Bank$, Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon, Sekwence, and many more. He’s received positive coverage from music publications such as Bandcamp Daily, Okay Player, and These Days. Kane goes the distance on his third project of this year, perhaps his most cohesive record to date.

Kane starts the album with “lost 4 words,” a warm record that builds momentum as the looped trumpet sample becomes more triumphant as time passes. The horn elements are a constant fixture on the record that gives it cohesion. “BIGMAN(catsong)” is another early standout with its maniacal vocal sample and crisp drums.

Kane’s transitions between songs are consistently great throughout the record. In addition, he expertly balances both dark and uplifting moods. Album cuts like “we have a problem,” “yesterdae,” “needs,” and “sinister plug” are slightly gloomy yet calming and reflective. Whereas, brighter production components on records like “sugar,” “freeing my mind,” “six flags,” and “little table” are dispersed across the album and express a more hopeful feeling.

The album moves at a nice pace, providing listeners with a memorable journey from start to finish. The 20th track, “jadakiss,” is one of the greatest standouts on the back end of the project. The vocal sample proclaims that, “I don’t want any questions about Kane!” It further cements his status as one of music’s premier producers. The horns, bass, drums, and guitar mesh to create a really potent and lasting musical moment. He ends the album with “forDOOM,” a touching way to honor one of hip-hop’s greatest figures and one of Kane’s biggest inspirations. The sample flip is executed beautifully, and the saxophone loop is the perfect backdrop for a somber moment.

Bandcamp users were treated to two bonus tracks which feature great guest performances from Philadelphia’s Barry Marrow and Alabama’s Sekwence, respectively.

Stream “BIG MAN, little table” now: