Tag: hip hop

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LOS KEMET shares versatile release “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)” [Video]

By Jacob Ezra

LOS KEMET has dropped off a fresh single called “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)”, alongside a visual directed by LOS and Thomas G. LOS KEMET is an artist originally from the deep southern city of Jackson, Mississippi, who has resided in various big cities like Chicago, Memphis, Atlanta, and now Austin, Texas. The variety of styles he provides across his discography are a clear depiction of where he has resided- and he chooses to dub his sound “New Soul” or “Seeds Of The South”. LOS’ latest offering is “Barter 7”, a smooth, versatile joint that follows up his well-received album Got Drunk For The Most High from February 2023. Featuring an engaging new visual that uses hazy, warm shots to effectively capture the track’s sound, “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)” is a potent new release from the Mississippi-born artist.

Sonically, “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)”- produced by @guttylim0 & Zach Neiss– uses warm grooves and immersive keys to conjure a feeling of assurance and confidence, laden with crisp percussion that locks in a hypnotic rhythm. LOS sounds light on his feet on the microphone, weaving together dynamic lines with ease and never falling into a predictable rhyme pattern. Even throwing in subtle yet memorable melodic flourishes, LOS demonstrates his diverse skillset as an emcee and vocalist with “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)”. The video captures the song’s laid-back charisma with its easygoing yet stylish appeal and vibrant warmth, adding an engaging, cohesive visual accompaniment.

Check out the new video for “Barter 7 (Dig Dat)” here:

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Ricky Mapes shares reflective song “windowPAIN”

By Jacob Ezra

The Bronx artist Ricky Mapes has shared a new song, titled “windowPAIN”. The single uses soulful, subtly dreamlike instrumentation and insightful lyricism to create a reflective mood. Following up a prolific streak of releases for the hard-working Mapes, “windowPAIN”’s laid-back warmth feels immersive, and the confessional nature of his verses paints a vivid picture of his mind-state and environment. With patient grooves and a nostalgic sound, “windowPAIN” finds moments of stillness and observes them keenly, showing why Mapes is truly a gifted lyricist. Give Ricky Mapes’ latest song “windowPAIN” a listen below now.

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SiriusB presents an insightful offering with “The Great Flood”

By Jacob Ezra

Prolific lyricist SiriusB caught our attention for his soulful song “The Great Flood”. A track from his recent album KRITICAL THINKING, which followed up engaging projects like THE ODDYSEY and PLANET SIRIUS, “The Great Flood” is a standout joint that paints vivid lyrical pictures atop a tapestry of warm, soulful production. Featuring insightful verses delivered in Sirius’ confident, energetic tone, “The Great Flood” is a track with lyrics that captivate, making it difficult to not pay attention to each word. With a cathartic, expressive feel and detailed lines analyzing our current times, “The Great Flood” is a poignant offering from SiriusB. Give it a listen below.

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London’s Lynx Cane shares engaging video for “MANNA”

London artist Lynx Cane has shared a new video for his self-produced song “MANNA”. The baritone-voiced emcee has recently been carving his own lane for his spiritually-focused, vivid lyricism and engaging sound. His 2021 Garden of Gethsemane EP demonstrated this with its esoteric verses and jazzy, laid-back sound- while the track in focus, “MANNA” instead finds Cane taking on a hard-edged, trap-laced style. “MANNA”’s bristling, electrifying synths take on a subtle rage influence, while bouncy 808s and crisp percussion build a potent groove. He handles the imposing beat with ease, delivering cutting verses with his textural baritone delivery and contrasts nicely with the instrumental’s highs. The new video, directed by Milo Ricketts-Mason features vibrant, fast-paced shots set in London that suit the song’s off-the-wall energy, featuring an engaging performance from Cane. Give the new video for “MANNA” a watch below.

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Blu and Real Bad Man share fresh video for “Bad News”

West Coast legend Blu and prolific production outfit Real Bad Man recently shared their collaborative project Bad News– a blazing 8-track offering that displays Blu’s characteristic penchant for rich, vivid lyricism atop Real Bad Man’s potent instrumentation. The pair have now shared a visual for the title track “Bad News”, an immense cut that opens their recent project with captivating energy. “Bad News” finds Blu lacing the track with poetic, thought-provoking lines at a rapid pace atop dusky, subtly ominous strings and horns. As organic percussion and memorable bass build up a hypnotic groove, he launches into a verbal assault that keeps the listener on their toes with each line. The new visual, features crisp shots and an attention-grabbing performance from Blu, capturing the track’s vigorous energy.

Watch the video for “Bad News” here, from Blu and Real Bad Man’s Bad News project, released on Real Bad Man Records.

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D2x shines on “Waves & Moonlights”

Chicago standout D2x captivated us with his song “Waves & Moonlights”, a track from his recent LP Hotel 1105.First hitting the scene in 2018, D2x has since carved a unique lane within Chicago and beyond for his soulful, introspective sound. After his momentum catapulted further with his debut album The Color Blue, D2x continued his run with his potent new album Hotel 1105. “Waves & Moonlights”, a standout track from the project, caught our attention for its elegant sound and sharply-crafted dynamic vocals. 

Atop swells of graceful keys, refined percussion, and infectious bass, D2x demonstrates focus and confident mic presence with a series of vivid verses. Underscored by flourishes of electric guitars that add layers to the track, he build eclectic lines into a memorable hook that ties the song’s graceful energy together succinctly.

Give D2x’s track “Waves & Moonlights” a listen below.

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Roundhouse Music: Top Picks of the Summer

By Jacob Ezra

JazzZ and Tenten- ‘ABSINTHE’

Nigerian singer JazzZ and Zimbabwean producer Tenten captivated us in July with their collaborative album ABSINTHE, a hazy, dream-like blend of hypnotic alternative R&B cuts. With a warm, immersive feel and poignant, organic sonics, ABSINTHE presents a character-rich, intimate offering from JazzZ and Tenten that remains as one of our favourite releases this summer.

Fatboi Sharif and Steel Tipped Dove- ‘Decay’

New Jersey’s Fatboi Sharif and New York’s Steel Tipped Dove connected for their LP Decay, which dropped in July on Backwoodz Studioz. An uncompromisingly experimental, head-trip of a record that lives up to its namesake with dilapidated, raw instrumentation and apocalyptic lyricism. On Decay, Sharif sounds at home atop Steel Tipped Dove’s frigid, asymmetrical production, weaving together idiosyncratic flows and vivid imagery in a dizzying fashion.

YL- ‘Don’t Feed the Pigeons’

 New York mainstay YL’s ‘Don’t Feed the Pigeons’ LP is a refreshing project from June that captures the oft-sought NY hip-hop essence without leaning too heavily into nostalgia. It demonstrates his versatility as he tackles beats ranging from drill to ambient-infused instrumentals, while conjuring a subtly surreal atmosphere that gives it unique character. 

Fatboyshaun- ‘BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT’

South Texas’ Fatboyshaun dropped off his project BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT in early July- a tour-de-force of potent lyricism atop raw, soulful instrumentation. Demonstrating the versatility that makes him a layered emcee, BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT both packs a punch with imposing lines and introspects with heartfelt cuts, with Fatboyshaun sounding equally natural in both lanes.

Ché- ‘CHÉ’

New York’s Ché captivated us with his self-titled project from July. CHÉ is an album versatile in sound and heartfelt in content, as it finds the New York artist dropping a series of thoughtful verses atop engaging, diverse instrumentation. Throughout the record, an undercurrent of youthful energy is present- with shades of hope for brighter times, while also touching upon being in the thralls of depression and frustration. Using his bicycle as a motif, the album’s dynamic pace, observational nature, and NYC references are given added context and layers, giving CHÉ a conceptual edge.

Stounson- “Break Bread” (ft. Ricky Mapes)

“Break Bread” is a self-produced cut from Seattle’s Stounson, featuring The Bronx’s Ricky Mapes, released in August. With a DIY feel and psychedelic edge, “Break Bread” makes for a potent cross-coast collaboration between the two artists. Raw layers of samples give the track a pulsating rhythm, complemented by dusty drums and potent, cutting flows from Stounson and Mapes that demonstrate a natural chemistry.

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Milc and Televangel share lush single “Pain & Leather” (ft. YL)

Rising Portland emcee Milc and fellow Portland beatmaker Televangel of the renowned production duo Blue Sky Black Death have dropped off a new single called “Pain & Leather”, featuring New York standout YL. Released ahead of their new collaborative album The Fish That Saved Portland, the single introduces a luscious, silky soundscape that suits the laid-back, charismatic performances of Milc and YL. Televangel’s hypnotic concoction of airy, psychedelic samples, rubbery, infectious bass and minimalistic percussion creates silky backdrop for YL and Milc to lace the track with sleek flows, vivid lyricism, and smooth deliveries. It’s a track that pairs each element together cohesively and in a natural fashion- making for a refreshing listen. Check it out below and prepare for Milc and Televangel’s upcoming project The Fish That Saved Portland. 

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Leroy Curriculum shares uplifting instrumental hip-hop cut, “Bliss Or Not”

Rapper-producer Leroy Curriculum has dropped off a new song, titled “Bliss Or Not”. Born Zachary Henry Bailey in Chicago, Curriculum largely grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. Inspired by both classic soul and hip-hop, Curriculum has built a warm, immersive sound that finds him both emceeing and producing, carving a lane for himself within the underground with releases like 2022’s Low Inventory. Refreshing, breezy, and soulful- his latest song “Bliss Or Not” puts the listener in a meditative headspace with its elegant combination of sleek keys, atmospheric samples, and sturdy, grounded percussion. Uplifting and inspiring a sense of focus, “Bliss Or Not” is the perfect track to put on and drift away from the mundaneness of the everyday. Give it a listen below.

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Uhuru Noir shares hypnotic single “Hurry up/Buy”

Baton Rouge, Louisiana artist Uhuru Noir has shared a new song called “Hurry up/Buy”, produced by Clai Dye. Following up a prolific streak of SoundCloud drops that included his recent EP The Leaning House, “Hurry up/Buy” showcases Noir’s focused mic presence and outside-the-box lyricism atop a satisfyingly warm, grimy instrumental from Clai Dye. Containing glowing, immersive keys, reverb-soaked samples and organic-sounding percussion, the instrumentation creates the perfect atmosphere for Noir’s laid-back, unhurried flows and vivid lyricism. With a lived-in, dusky feel, “Hurry up/Buy” is a character-rich cut from Uhuru Noir that continues his recent tear of releases. Give it a listen below.