Brighton rapper JED has shared a new single called “17”, which finds him delivering sharply-crafted, introspective lyrics atop upbeat, moody production. Nostalgic, emotive vocal samples and ethereal guitars pair with crisp, grooving drums and bouncy 808s to craft an infectious instrumental that underscores JED’s smooth yet confident flow nicely. His verses are packed with clever lyrics and showcase his focused command of the microphone. With a wistful, memorable chorus capping off the single, “17” is an evocative track that provides much replay value. The latest from the Brighton rapper, “17” continues to show why he is a captivating new voice from the area.
Philadelphia-based artist OJ Mountain has shared a new single called “Don’t You Love Me Baby”, alongside Scarlet Wasteland. This offering continues Mountain’s run of engaging tracks that pair jazzy instrumentation with sharply-crafted lyricism. Featuring smoky instrumentation centred around rich horns and textured percussion, “Don’t You Love Me Baby” creates an immersive and layered listening experience. A laid-back, warm track with organic, infectious production and slick vocal performances, this new single is makes for a glowing, focused listen.
Femi Tahiru is a young multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter hailing from Manchester, England. After dropping his debut EP called D.E.M.O.S in 2021 Tahiru gained notoriety, going viral on TikTok and racking up 500,000 streams in just one week. Now, he’s back for more, dropping his second EP Obsidian just 8 months later, and it is ridiculously good. Sweet, lush, catchy, and wavy are just some of the words that come to mind to describe this project, and don’t just take my word for it either- the two singles off this EP “Counting On You” and “Home” have seen love from BBC Radio‘s Tom Robinson. Femi deserves all of this attention though, as he is getting better with every release and is currently criminally underrated.
New age artist Cheryl B. Engelhardt has released a new album called The Passenger, featuring Grammy-winning musician Lili Haydn of Opium Moon, Dallas String Quartet, and more. Bridging the gap between emotive instrumental composition and ambient instincts, The Passenger is an immersive project that showcases Engelhardt’s wide compositional range and evocative instrumentation.
The Passenger opens with “The Beautiful Bridge”, a layered, expansive ambient song that conjures imagery of nature and calms the mind with its delicate sound. “The Light That’s Left” follows up with celestial instrumentation that inspires imagery of open landscapes with soft ambient synths and evocative neoclassical elements. Album highlight “The Chariot” brings in an epic, expansive soundscape with grand strings that build in layers until the song climaxes, bringing in delicate pianos and harps to underscore the strings. Offerings like “The Angels’ Lullaby” feel pensive and thoughtful, as patient pianos float alongside warm strings. The album closes out on a high note with “The Message” and “The Ambient Love”, two tracks of jaw-dropping beauty centred around silky, immersive orchestration.
The latest from composer Cheryl B. Engelhardt, The Passenger is an evocative, dream-like album that immerses listeners in its delicate beauty.
New York artist ADVICE has shared a new single called “dismyshit”, alongside Kartik. Here, an airy instrumental containing layered, immersive keys, gritty samples, and head-nodding drums creates a textural backdrop for ADVICE’s flexible rhyme patterns. He comes through with engaging lyrics and smooth flows that pay homage to classic NYC hip-hop. A wintery, laid-back offering that feels smoky and nocturnal, “dismyshit” draws the listener in close with its mercurial sound. The latest from ADVICE and Kartik, “dismyshit” marks another solid offering from both artists.
Virginia artist mynameisntjmack has shared a new single called “NEWBRASSKNUCKLES”, produced by gutty. Following up his infectious, cleverly-written release “BUNKER/ PREROLL” with Tommy Richman, this single slows down the pace and brings in an immersive, laid-back sound filled with warmth. “NEWBRASSKNUCKLES” begins with elegant, relaxed keys that drift atop organic-sounding drums, before jmack enters with easygoing, introspective verses. He weaves together observational, sharply-crafted lyrics atop the graceful instrumentation, showcasing his focus as an emcee. The latest from mynameisntjmack, “NEWBRASSKNUCKLES” inspires introspection and reflection atop enticingly warm instrumentation.
Columbus, Ohio’s Copywrite has shared a new album called The High Exhaulted II, the sequel to his seminal debut album, 2002’s The High Exhaulted. With a storied history in underground hip-hop, his latest offering continues his reign as a sharp, deft lyricist and skilled songwriter. Here, the underground veteran weaves electrifying, dynamic verses atop abstract yet infectious production, breathlessly stringing together vivid lines. He also shows versatility here atop a wide range of production from Swab, Stu Bangas, the late great Camu Tao, and more, that draws influence from boom-bap, jazz rap, and hints of trap.
Album opener “Cold Turkey Leftovers” immediately shows that Copy can hang with the best of them in terms of flow and lyricism. He enters ferociously, piecing together descriptive bars at a rapid pace atop heavy, grandiose production. The instrumentation on “Cold Turkey Leftovers” crafts a rich, layered soundscape of powerful keys, crisp percussion and rich bass, and he floats atop it with a commanding yet smooth vocal performance. The smoky, mystical “The Lah” follows next, with Copy shouting out his home state of Ohio before delving into a whirlwind of sharply-crafted verses where he references an encyclopedic breadth of topics. The production here is intriguing and mysterious, with ethereal guitars and energetic keys blending together smoothly, underscored by subtle chimes.
“Spoiler Alert/ Have U Cena?” takes on a different, more electronic-influenced direction with gritty synths and heavy percussion. He begins with a powerful delivery and provides bristling bars aimed at wrestler John Cena, who he accuses of stealing Copy’s lyrics for his music. Over two different beats, he goes at Cena with clever, memorable punchlines and breaks down the entire situation in an engrossing fashion. “Hot Iron” builds an infectious hook with high-pitched vocal samples and playful keys, with snapping, trap-influenced percussion beneath. Here, Copy and fellow Ohio rapper Fulio deliver smooth, engaging verses full of slick lyricism, keeping the listener pressed to the speakers to catch every line.
“White Sean Price” contains elegant samples consisting of expansive vocals, warm guitars, and grooving bass. Beneath, textural drums drop in and underscore his flexible verses, as he attacks the beat with gripping, energetic flows. Cannibal Ox‘s Vordul Mega appears alongside Copy for “Maintain”, and the two underground veterans showcase natural chemistry as they discuss social injustice atop haunting production. The album closes out on a graceful note with “Silence”, produced by Camu Tao. As pensive keys and grimy drums provide a thought-provoking backdrop, he reminisces upon past memories in music and pays homage to those that have passed on. An emotive, powerful closer, “Silence” is a stirring cut that finishes the album on a high note.
The latest from underground mainstay Copywrite, The High Exhaulted II, released on Man Bites Dog Records, finds him delivering meaningful, dextrous verses atop dynamic production. An exciting album that combines a variety of sonic palettes through dark yet graceful production, this project is a gripping listen that provides surprises at every turn. The sequel to his magnetic debut LP The High Exhaulted, this project marks 20 years since that release and finds Copy as sharp as ever.
Brooklyn rapper Bert Knox, Virginia artists KADOLEAF and donnie killjoy and New York producer tookhozy have connected for a new genre-bending single called “GOLIATH”. Here, a hazy, expansive instrumental provides dense layers of sound and sets a solid foundation for the vocalist’s versatile performances. The vocals combine a variety of genres into a refreshing, dynamic blend, drawing influence from R&B, hip-hop, punk, and more. Underscored by rich reversed keys and crisp, snapping percussion, this song is infectious and moody. The latest from Bert Knox, KADOLEAF, tookhozy, and donnie killjoy, “GOLIATH” makes for an immersive, textural listen.
On Jan. 31, just days before the album Ants From Up There was released, Black Country, New Road announced their frontman and co-founder Isaac Wood was leaving the band. It seemed sudden and unexpected, especially with their sophomore album arriving shortly.
However, within the context of the album that was released on Feb. 4, Wood’s sudden departure seems to make sense. Ants From Up There tells the tale of a crumbling, codependent, one-sided, long-distance relationship, which also appears to be one big metaphor for Wood’s departure.
The album’s first song, “Chaos Space Marine”, gives off a sense of adventure. It almost reminds me of something you’d hear in a modern Super Mario game, with lots of brass and jazzy pianos. Lyrically, the song speaks of an adventurer in space. It’s a fun introduction to the album, showing the creativity of the band’s lyrics and instrumentation.
However, I found the ending to be really interesting. Towards the end, Wood declares that he’s “coming home”, and the song switches to a time signature of 7/8, meaning that each measure has seven beats. Typically, having four or eight beats in a measure feels right, so that expectation and then the lack of an eighth beat builds tension. This makes it seem like maybe Wood is anxious to go home, and suddenly the fun instrumental takes on a whole different meaning.
Throughout the album, the listener hears bits and pieces of the relationship. The song “Concorde,” which is also the name of a supersonic plane, suggests a long-distance relationship. It mentions that Wood struggles with only being with this person on his phone or looking at their pictures in his attic.
“Bread Song” highlights the toxicity and the one-sidedness of the relationship. Wood is trying to put in effort (through phone calls- the only way he can), but his affection isn’t being reciprocated. Despite her obvious lack of care, he still tries to save the relationship. The toxicity is further explored by a metaphor of leaving breadcrumbs in his lover’s bed, hence the song’s name. Wood leaves parts of himself—trauma, insecurities, etc.—with his partner, with the bed representing the most intimate, private parts of her mind. So, while we sympathize with Wood’s character, we see that maybe he has issues of his own.
The instrumentation on this album is absolutely fantastic, and at many points throughout, it takes center stage. Several songs include long instrumental sections, full of catchy guitar riffs, heartfelt piano, and chaotic drum fills. “Mark’s Theme” is completely instrumental and highlights the genius orchestration. The song is dedicated to saxophonist Lewis Evan’s late uncle, who died of COVID in early 2021. It’s a pause in the album that allows the listener to sit and take in how masterful the instrumentation is, serenaded by Evan’s sad yet soulful sax solo.
The album ends with the three-part, 12 minute long “Basketball Shoes”. It serves as a fitting conclusion to the album, with Wood’s character beginning the song discussing healing and a return to normalcy but ending the song with an agonizing scream and wet bed sheets (from tears or…something else). While the relationship has ended and Wood attempts to move on, he is still having trouble letting go.
The final line of the album is what made Wood’s sudden departure from the band make sense: “oh your generous loan to me, your crippling interest”. On the surface, this means that any form of interest from his lover gives Wood false hope. But in the context of his departure, the “crippling interest” comes from the fans. The more fans he gains, the more expectations he must meet. We are the toxic lover. We are the Concorde.
It’s a sad situation because it seems that the fans’ love of the band is what drove Isaac Wood to leave. He only sees them every so often at concerts; other than that, he can communicate with them only through his phone or by looking at pictures. Through his lyrics, he is leaving his breadcrumbs in our beds. The whole album is simultaneously about a toxic relationship with his lover and his toxic relationship with his fans.
This dual meaning is what makes the album so special. While crafting a story about the harm of one-sided, long-distance relationships, Isaac Wood also coped with his feelings about fame, his music, and the band. I think finishing this album is what helped him to realize that he could no longer be with Black Country, New Road. And after listening, I think I understand. And I wish him the absolute best.
Utah musician Buppy. has connected with Shy High for a fresh new single called “WTDWTS”, produced by DXCKLIN. The latest from these prolific genre-blending artists, this single is bright and vital, making for a colorful, pensive listening experience. Built upon a foundation of brisk, textural percussion and grooving, infectious bass, “WTDWTS” carries a breezy yet enlivening pace throughout. The vocals are laid-back and chock-full of character-rich melodies, finding Buppy. and Shy High opening up about their internal worlds and utilizing their songwriting for therapy. An engaging, vivid offering from Buppy., Shy High, and DXCKLIN, “WTDWTS” contains thoughtful subject matter while remaining highly catchy throughout.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 