Author: befree

By Damilola Grey

Argota has dropped his first single of the year titled “HTTA” (Harder to Talk About). The 3-minute track talks about the difficulty someone faces when dealing with their family’s toxic habits while seeing those habits damage their quality of life. The person is apparently a victim of love, and burdens of the heart, and is out of touch with reality. He has no other option than to drown out, because he’s been locked in the prison of his mind and has no escape. He has found it hard to talk about the way he has been living stuck in old habits. The production, as well as Argota’s heavenly vocals immerse listeners in a trance-like state where they get to experience the picture Argota was trying to paint with the track. When I asked Argota what “HTTA” meant to him, he told me that “HTTA” is his personal pep talk when he catches himself carrying unnecessary weight due to being an emotional person. As he put simply, “it means letting go and focusing on yourself”. “HTTA” is honestly an amazing, introspective track. Make sure to give it a listen here:

By Jacob Ezra

Brighton, UK rapper Hatter has shared a new single called “Dry Jan (Vossy x Hersheys)”. The prolific artist makes a strong return here, providing a refreshing, immersive mood that had us hooked from the get-go. The instrumental for “Dry Jan (Vossy x Hersheys)” is airy and intriguing, containing mercurial guitars and watery keys that blend together in a graceful fashion. Underscored by driving 808s and bouncy percussion, this song is reflective yet also energizing. The latest from the talented UK artist, it is likely we will witness an exciting year for him in 2022.

Listen to “Dry Jan (Vossy x Hersheys)” now:

By Jacob Ezra

Detroit artists Aztek the Barfly and Valid have returned with a new banger titled “Zima”. Featuring powerful, commanding verses packed with dense wordplay, and a heart-pumping, rugged instrumental, “Zima” is a cut that provides heavy replay value. An intense, imposing pump-up track, this song pairs raw, bar-heavy raps with exciting production to create an enthralling soundscape overall. Furthermore, the artists share a natural chemistry that had us glued to the speakers throughout, causing the elements of the track to meld together with ease.

Listen to “Zima” now:

By Jacob Ezra

Multi-talented rapper and poet Myles Bullen has shared a new single called “* Ordinary Magic *”, featuring underground legend billy woods. With intricate, beautifully evocative lyricism underscored by wistful instrumentation, this track inspires one to dive deep into introspection. The beat for “* Ordinary Magic *” primarily consists of airy, warm guitars that drift overtop of crisp percussion, creating a balmy mood that immerses the listener in its atmospherics. Moreover, Bullen and woods deliver some sublimely poetic verses that refresh the listener with their personal nature. A pensive, dream-like cut, “* Ordinary Magic *” is an emotionally layered offering that beckons some re-listens to unpack.

Listen to “* Ordinary Magic *” now:

By Jacob Ezra

New York’s Uncommon Nasa has connected with Messiah Muzik for a new release entitled “Oculus”. Nasa, who has consistently released some remarkable and oft-overlooked projects including the cerebral Written at Night and last year’s Only Child, continues to provide a refreshingly abstract sound with this latest EP. Here, gritty, expansive instrumentals from Messiah Muzik create a post-apocalyptic soundscape that shimmers and shifts psychedelically. Overtop, Nasa provides some pensive, clairvoyant verses that capture his thought-provoking style, reaching elevated heights lyrically on tracks like the opener “Epiphany” and the title track “Oculus”. A sonic journey into exciting, avant-garde territory, Oculus is a stimulating project that beckons many re-listens.

Listen to Oculus now:

By Todd Anderson

New York’s Medhane and London’s Lord Apex have shared a new single called “Wonder Why”. An international collaboration, this joint finds the two artists sharing a natural chemistry, trading laid-back yet engaging verses overtop of a bouncy, atmospheric instrumental. The beat is infectious, contains driving 808s and crisp drums that give this song a memorable rhythm, providing a strong foundation for the two rappers’ evocative rhymes. Hopefully this song foreshadows a longer project from these two, whose vocals flow together organically.

Listen to “Wonder Why” now:

By Todd Anderson

The legendary Masta Ace has connected with talented French beatmaker James Digger for a new single called “Bitter”. As usual, Ace handles the beat with ease, providing sharply-crafted, poised verses delivered in an effortlessly confident cadence. Underscored by a raw, textured instrumental from Digger that pairs infectious bass with organic-sounding drums and warm guitars, this release captures everything we love about underground hip-hop.

Listen to “Bitter” now:

Talented Miami rapper DYFL has linked with Dipset legend Jim Jones for a new single called “Scared Money”. The artist, who came through with some strong releases in 2021 including “Butterflies” and “The Good Die Young”, sounds poised and focused on this new track. Containing an atmospheric instrumental centred around powerful vocal samples, crisp drums, and driving 808s, this track provides heavy replay value. With charismatic, smooth verses from DYFL and Jones that enhance the vivid production, “Scared Money” will likely be in our rotation for a long time.

Listen to “Scared Money” now:

By Jacob Ezra

SRH‘s Hunnaloe has shared a new single called “Who Them”. The New York rapper, who has remained highly consistent lately, provides another strong offering with this latest track. Here, an eery, slightly psychedelic instrumental centred around grand guitars and heavy bass underscores Hunnaloe’s charismatic flows. He provides line after line of memorable wordplay, with clever, sharply-crafted lyricism delivered in a smooth but commanding vocal style. Fresh off the heels of the strong SRH album with Reed, Subjxct 5, and others, “Who Them” marks a solid start to 2022 for Hunnaloe.

Listen to “Who Them” now:

By Jacob Ezra

Bungalow Collect‘s Zay Suav has shared a brand new single called “ME + U”. The Brooklyn artist, who has had a remarkably prolific 2022 so far, shows no signs of slowing down on his latest offering. Containing an airy, atmospheric instrumental centred around watery keys and bouncy percussion, “ME + U” adopts a more R&B-based sound than his other recent releases. Suav’s melodies are the true highlight of the track, as he hits the listener with catchy melody after catchy melody. Capped off by a highly memorable, sharply-crafted hook, this joint had us hooked from the get-go.

Listen to “ME + U” now: