Legendary Los Angeles rapper Blu has shared a new single called “People Call Me Blu(e)”, produced by the great Exile. This track finds Blu flowing smoothly over a textured, raw beat full of soul and energy.
Both Blu and Exile sound as sharp as ever on this new release, further proving their longevity and consistency. Following last year’s highly acclaimed album Miles, both artists released a heap of quality music, including Blu’s For Sale EP with Sirplus and Exile’s “Always Summer” with Cousin Brother. Now, the two connect for Blu’s latest single “People Call Me Blu(e)”, a standout song from his upcoming album The Color Blu(e), which will be released on Nature Sounds.
The instrumental for “People Call Me Blu(e)” is evocative and smoky, featuring coarsely chopped vocal samples and dusty horns. Beneath, rugged drums and rich bass create an infectious groove and lay a solid foundation for Blu’s elastic flows. He comes through with some characteristically clever lyrics that cover his mind state on hip-hop and music as a whole. Sounding as focused and poised as ever, he delivers charismatic verses that keep the listener re-winding.
Overall, “People Call Me Blu(e)” is a strong release that has one excited for the upcoming full-length album. This track captures Blu and Exile’s familiar sound while also pushing into new territory. Their chemistry is evident as always, as they deliver a track that is both energetic and welcomingly casual.
Vancouver’s Swabski has returned with a fresh new single called “Ride With Me”. Over top of a jazzy, reflective instrumental, the rapper weaves some laid-back verses that keep the listener engaged throughout.
The instrumental for “Ride With Me” contains nostalgic vocal samples that swirl in psychedelic layers. Accompanied by subtle synths and rich bass, the beat creates an infectious and catchy groove. Moreover, Swabski comes through with some laid-back, flexible verses full of sharply written lyrics. Overall, he flexes his skills as an emcee and shows why he is a rapper to keep an eye on. Hopefully more is soon to come from the West Coast based artist, who’s relaxed, smooth style provides much replay value.
West Coast underground legends Cashus King and Blu have shared an elegant new song called “Boom Bap Cadillac”, which finds the two artists flowing smoothly over gorgeous keys and smoky saxophones.
The instrumental for “Boom Bap Cadillac” is wistful and ethereal, containing reminiscent keys that drift along surreally. Accompanied by warm horns, the beat is truly remarkable, capturing a uniquely nostalgic mood. Furthermore, the two rappers come through with some characteristically powerful verses, full of poetic imagery that stirs deep emotions in the listener. The reflective nature of the verses paired with the sharply written lyrics from Cashus King and Blu make for a highly memorable listening experience. Overall, this song sees the two continue their streak as some of the most consistent and talented rappers out of LA.
East Coast rappers Reed, Hunnaloe, and Sly C have shared a new song called “The Ropes”. The three rising artists continue their prolific output with this new release, a raw, laid-back offering that provides much replay value.
The instrumental for “The Ropes” contains dusky, textured vocal samples that swirl together in an intriguing way. With additional guitars and bass complementing the vocal samples, this track sounds layered and rich. Underscored by rugged drums, the song carries a smooth, relaxed pace. Moreover, the three rappers come through with some clever, candid verses that keep one hooked. Hopefully more will be coming soon from Reed, Hunnaloe, and Sly C, as they have been consistently dropping some high-quality tracks lately.
Western Massachusetts artist Kwynn Reid is a rising voice to watch, having recently shared a strong new EP Home for the Summer. He is admirably diverse in his songwriting, crafting songs in a variety of stylings and moods with ease, as he draws influence from R&B, hip-hop, electronic, pop, and more. His new EP Home for the Summer feels warm in sound and personal in its songwriting, while simultaneously providing bangers that have you nodding your head immediately.
Home for the Summer kicks off with the powerful title track, which uses strong drums and rumbling 808s to create a driving rhythm. Over top of the rhythm section, smooth keys and subtle, high-pitched vocal samples give the song a layered feel. The combination of the keys and vocal samples are engaging and catchy, sticking in one’s head long after listening. Furthermore, Reid comes through with some well-written vocals that introduce his singing style. He sounds confident and heartfelt on this song, beginning the EP in an engaging fashion that hooks the listener in from the get-go.
Reid follows this track up with the thoughtful, charismatic “Can’t Be Helped”, which feels gospel influenced. Here, warm organs pair with energizing synths to create infectious melodies that lift the track up to the clouds. Furthermore, crunchy percussion and deep bass are added to round out the song, giving it a steady pace. Reid’s vocals are memorable, featuring intriguing melodies and introspective lyrics. His lyrics are relatable and heartfelt here, painting a clear portrait of his perspective.
Lastly, Reid switches the pace up for the jaunty, reminiscent “Think Too Much”. This track conjures a unique mood through its usage of rapid drums and dream-like, fluttering acoustic guitars. Paired with soulful, nostalgic vocal samples and underscored by groovy bass, this song is a project highlight. “Think Too Much” is an example of Reid’s diverse songwriting skills, as he brings a different sound and style here and executes it smoothly. This song closes out the EP in a graceful fashion, providing a warm, bittersweet send-off.
All in all, Home for the Summer is an intriguing, memorable release from Kwynn Reid, who is certainly a talented up-and-coming voice coming from Western Massachusetts. His sharp songwriting ability and heartfelt style shines through on this release, as he provides a refreshing sound that contains a lot of personality. Hopefully more is soon to come from Reid, as he shows much promise across these three tracks and leaves the listener wanting more.
Yours, River are a genre-blending group from Washington DC whose authenticity and sharp songwriting shine from the get-go. Founded by James Carline and Zachary Nachbar-Seckel as a side project during the height of the pandemic, the talented group has come into its own, developing a unique sound that combines folk, hip-hop, and electronic influences. Their self-titled new album Yours, River is an adventure in atmospheric, organic sounds that evoke scenes of nature and feelings of youthful longing.
Their self-titled album kicks off with the ambient “I’d Like To Be…”, a track that uses fluttering acoustic guitars and subtle, dream-like synths to create a wistful mood. Beneath, organic sounding bass glues the track together and creates a mellow groove. The instrumental creates a strong foundation for the track’s immersive vocals, as they float gracefully above the guitars. These vocals are easy-going and simultaneously heartfelt, and the lyrics on “I’d Like To Be…” are vivid and introspective, taking on a reflective tone.
They follow this track up with the groovy, hip-hop laced “Oh So Blue!” , a song that introduces their use of rapping vocals. The instrumental for “Oh So Blue!” contains deep bass that rumbles beneath fast-paced drums and brisk, electrifying guitars. The beat is energizing, creating an infectious sound that keeps the listener engaged throughout. Moreover, the track’s use of spoken word-infused rap vocals combined with blues and rock influenced singing gives it even more personality and makes one want to keep re-visiting it.
Next, the band brings in the bittersweet “Honeybee Lane”, a warm track packed with nostalgia. This song contains breezy guitars that ring out over top of rich bass and natural drums. The vocals on this song are catchy, and the lyrics are poetic and evocative, making for a thought-provoking listening experience. Paired with the next track, “Fast Asleep”, Yours, River show their dynamic approach to songwriting, as they demonstrate their ability to play with a wide variety of sounds. Here, energetic drums and tuneful bass bring the track together and provide a strong foundation for the song’s relaxed, dreamy vocals. Furthermore, the guitars on this song are starry and expansive, giving the song more of a layered feel.
The song “Patience” marks the middle of the album, utilizing dense, rapid percussion to give the track a playful feel. “Patience” feels heavily psychedelic and almost has a dance music vibe, further showcasing the band’s diversity. An album highlight is “Where Do We Go From Here?”, a peaceful, smoky song that sticks in one’s memory for days. Once again, Yours, River blends hip-hop in, providing an immersive and raw sound that appeals to a wide variety of music fans. They follow this song up with another album highlight in “Abby”, a sentimental song that uses autumnal guitars and poetic lyrics to create a truly intriguing mood.
The album closes out with a series of reflective yet groovy offerings, including “Winter Lungs”, which centers around wailing guitars and grand keys, and “Beggars Cup”, which features expansive keys and powerful lead vocals. The final song “Rest in Peace?” is particularly unforgettable, containing some of the group’s strongest lyrics. They come through with some thought-provoking lyrical motifs and imagery that draw the listener in to the song’s ruminative mood. Moreover, the track’s atmosphere is enhanced by celestial acoustic guitars and jaunty percussion, creating a stirring backdrop.
Overall, Yours, River’s self-titled album is a dream-like offering that brings back memories of childhood and evokes the feeling of being in nature. It is an introspective, creative ride through the artists’ mind, providing a release that is refreshing and intriguing. Hopefully more is soon to come from this group, as they are new to the scene and evidently have a lot to offer. All in all, their ability to craft songs utilizing a variety of genres and sonic textures is admirable, and they showcase promise in this new album.
Buppy and Eleanor Kingston have shared a heartfelt collaboration called “To My Momma”. Over top of bittersweet keys and reminiscent trumpets, the musicians craft a touching tribute to their Mothers, and Mothers everywhere.
The instrumental for “To My Momma” is centred around warm keys that create a brisk pace, underscored by organic sounding percussion. Later, nostalgic trumpets and swelling synths are added to give the track more layers, creating a concoction of sounds that is mellow and wistful. Moreover, the two vocalists come through with some well-written verses that are emotionally moving, capping the song off in a graceful fashion.
Overall, “To My Momma” is a solid release from Buppy and Eleanor Kingston that hopefully signifies more upcoming music from the pairing. They share a natural chemistry on this collaboration, providing a heartfelt, catchy track that is worth re-visting many times.
Massachusetts artist The China Blue has shared a strong new single called “SiLENCE”. This track finds him delivering heartfelt, urgent vocals over top of a mysterious instrumental.
Sonically, “SiLENCE” conveys feelings of anxiety and longing through mercurial, dream-like guitars that drift over top of brisk drums and groovy bass. Moreover, The China Blue’s vocals are expressive and intriguing, as he touches on alienation, loneliness, and sorrow in his lyrics. His overall vocal performance is truly evocative, and his skill as a songwriter shines through on this release.
Overall, “SiLENCE” is a strong offering from The China Blue, who sonically mixes disparate emotions together in a truly interesting manner on this track. It is evident that crafting such a song takes much skill, as the combination of sounds and lyrical motifs make for a release worth re-visiting again and again.
Massachusetts musician Dylan Reese has shared an uplifting new single called “harmony”. This smooth release finds Reese coming through with some laid back, self-assured vocals over top of a warm, peaceful instrumental.
“harmony” glows with reflective warmth, providing a heavenly soundscape. Centred around buttery organs and nostalgic guitars, the instrumental is underscored by organic sounding drums that provide a steady rhythm. Beneath, groovy, rich bass glues the track together and helps create a strong foundation for Reese’s smooth vocals. In particular, his songwriting shines through as crafts elegant verses and a memorable chorus.
Overall, “harmony” is a mesmerizing release from Reese that showcases his strong focus as a songwriter. It is a track worthy of re-visiting again and again, providing a dream-like atmosphere that is hard to replicate.
Sacramento-bred rapper Camden Malik has shared an energetic new release “CAVITY (777)”, as well as a fresh new visual to go along with it.
“CAVITY (777)” contains bright guitars that swirl over top of fast-paced, crisp percussion. Beneath, catchy bass glues the track together and provides a solid foundation for Malik’s smooth, confident flow. He comes through with some clever, sharply written verses that float over top of the bouncy instrumental. Furthermore, the video for “CAVITY (777)” is laid back and charismatic, adding to the song’s atmosphere with its nocturnal setting.
Overall, “CAVITY (777)” makes for another strong release from the underrated Malik, who has shared a heap of quality music lately. If you enjoyed this single, check out his well-crafted recent EP “Primetime” with Ibn Itaka.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 