Bryson the Alien has dropped off a new song called “Faces”, featuring Tezmanian and produced by Ghowste. Based in Portland, the prolific Bryson the Alien is the co-founder of SUMALIENZ with Just Alfa and Tezmanian, who appears on his latest cut, as well as outfit Unexplained Aerial Phenomenon. Following up the eclectic single “Shepherd” with Fatboi Sharif, “Faces” takes on a similarly hypnotic, lo-fi atmosphere laced with a surreal mood and vibrant lyricism.
Murky, raw bass and space-age synths blend into a hypnotic groove on “Faces”, while creating an otherworldly soundscape. The production creates a “sheets of sound” effect that pairs cohesively with the emcees’ off-the-wall flows and outside-the-box lyricism. They display a natural chemistry while delivering head-spinning rhyme patterns in a hushed yet contained delivery, giving “Faces” a mesmerizing feel.
The music video for “Riches Part Two”, directed and animated by Unjust, starts with the turning on of a television- and as the beat drops, an animated man shoots his gun, while the camera follows the bullet into a third person view. The viewer is then able to see the lyrics come to life in a vividly cinematic experience.
Seminal lyricist Roc Marciano starts the song off verbalizing ‘there’s too many washed rappers the market is crashing’- while the animation exhibits crashing objects outside of a high rise building. The animation then zooms in on another high rise building and briefly shows Roc Marciano on a podcast with Talib Kweli. Then with each verse, the animation transforms into something different matching the rest of the verses from Roc Marciano.
Continuing the animations alongside verses, Westside Gunn starts off the next verse with one of his infamous adlibs which mimics a gun shooting multiple rounds. Two guns appear in the animation shooting bullets in the air identical to his adlibs. When Westside Gunn mentions dreams, an illusion of an empty field with birds flying in sky shows on the screen.
The third verse transcends so effortlessly as Talib Kweli starts to flow over the hypnotizing beat. The fluid animations perfectly illustrate how Kweli’s metaphors are intertwined into his rhymes. From showing birds, fish and New York City to a rare vicious animal over the city; The animation flowed flawlessly over his verse.
The video then ends with the same person who turns on the television at the beginning of the video now sleeping in front of the screen. Concluding that he he fell asleep while watching the music video. A vivid, cinematic new offering from Talib Kweli and Madlib featuring Roc Marciano and Westside Gunn, “Richies Part Two” captivates with its engaging animated visuals and enticing storyline.
New York artist Lord Sko has shared a new single called “James Worthy Goggles”. At only 19 years-old, the Washington Heights native has positioned himself as a true school hip-hop revivalist, proof that classic hip-hop is not lost in the new generation. With an ever-expanding catalogue that demonstrate his potent, refreshing take on classic NY sounds, Sko continues to build momentum within his city and beyond. Following up his recent singles “Finder’s Fee” and “Yellow Tape”, “James Worthy Goggles” emanates with a nonchalant charisma that captivates from the get-go.
Sko delivers silky flows atop smoky guitars, winding flutes, and warm bass that conjure a hazy, laid-back soundscape. He sounds comfortable in his lane and in the pocket- delivering detailed, observational verses atop the relaxed production. Dropping some quintessentially NY lines and shouting out Stack Bundles, he paints a vivid picture of his life in his city on “James Worthy Goggles”, drawing the listener into the track’s atmosphere in the process.
Toronto emcee Daniel Son and New Jersey producer Wino Willy have dropped off a new song, titled “Frog Legs”. This eclectic joint from the two prolific artists contains an undercurrent of powerful energy- expressed through Son’s elaborate flows and Willy’s atmospheric, cathartic production style.
Warm, hypnotic samples, ethereal backing vocals, and an organic-sounding, infectious rhythm section from Willy underscore Son’s poignant, focused verses as he laces the track with detail-rich lines that have the listener re-winding to capture moments. The expressive track contains just the right addition of charisma, distilling a raw formula from the two artists. A song off Daniel Son and Wino Willy’s anticipated LP, Gris Gris, “Frog Legs” presents a potent, eclectic cut, released on the rising label FXCK RXP. Give “Frog Legs” a listen below now.
Bryson the Alien has connected with Fatboi Sharif for a fresh new song called “Shepherd”, produced by ghowste. Portland-based Bryson the Alien is a multi-talented artist who is a member of the group Unexplained Aerial Phenomenon, has been on a prolific streak this year that includes projects such as the eclectic SCREW PAK: ZERO’S SAGA. For his latest song “Shepherd”, he connects with New Jersey standout and the garden state gargoyle of elaborate literature challenging the unknown, Fatboi Sharif, for a hazy, surreal new cut.
“Shepherd” contains moody, eery keys that create a darkly hypnotic atmosphere, suiting the hushed, ominous flows of Bryson and Sharif. They deliver thoughtful lyrics that enhance the nocturnal, meditative feel of the instrumentation. Lulling the listener into something of a dreamstate with its syrupy key chords and baritone flows, “Shepherd” makes for a layered, intriguing cut from the two artists. Give it a listen below here.
Brown_buddha, LANO, OJ Mountain and jules filmhouse have linked for a fresh song called “STEAM ENGINE”. Frequent collaborators and affiliates of the hip-hop and creative collective Hidden Renaissance, the four artists demonstrate a natural chemistry across the metallic, surreal production of “STEAM ENGINE”.
On “STEAM ENGINE”, icy, forward-thinking keys swell above crunchy percussion, underscored by flourishes of ethereal backing vocals. The emcees come through cutting, lyrically-focused verses packed with vivid imagery, while presenting subtly menacing deliveries that suit the ominous production. With tinges of Def Jux in its style, “STEAM ENGINE” is a welcomingly refreshing take on left-field hip-hop sounds. Give it a listen below.
Dzh has shared a new song, titled “BUMPER HANGIN'”. Hailing from Madison, NJ, Dante Zaran “Dzh” Henry is a 24 year-old artist and producer who launched his career through a series of versatile, often introspective mixtapes like Under This Hoodie, as well as his debut album Dante’s Inferno. Dzh both emcees and crafts beats, displaying a diverse repertoire for everything ranging from soulful, boom-bap laced instrumentals to hard-hitting trap cuts. His latest song, “BUMPER HANGIN'”, leans towards the latter category with its raw cacophony of powerful synths, immense percussion, and booming 808s. Dzh demonstrates a poignant flow with succinct, infectious bars that enhance the song’s imposing energy. He sounds hungry and focused on the mic, drawing the listener deeper into the track’s blazing soundscape. Give “BUMPER HANGIN'” a listen below now.
Elaquent has shared a new single titled “IYKYK”, featuring Ivan Ave. Prolific producer Elaquent has spent this decade forging a style all his own, internalizing the sounds of great producers like J Dilla and DJ Premier, but glitching and altering them to a point where his voice became inimitable. Elaquent is an artist whose been pivotal in emphasizing the varied influence of beat music, while helping to establish a vibrant beat music scene in Toronto. His latest song, “IYKYK”, features versatile Norwegian emcee Ivan Ave, and it contains a laid-back, vivid sound that entices the listener with its focused, collected feel.
Organic, warm pianos and grounded percussion open “IYKYK”, as a rich bass-line weaves an infectious groove beneath. As the layers of keys build gracefully, the track’s relaxed, sleek verses meld together smoothly with the instrumentation, giving the song added dynamics while keeping it cohesive. Ave’s calming flows and reflective vocals suit Elaquent’s breezy production, as the pair demonstrate a natural chemistry on “IYKYK”.
“IYKYK” is the first single from Elaquent’s forthcoming album Rediscovery, releasing on renowned label Mello Music Group. Give it a listen below.
Louisiana artist Nebula. has shared a new single titled “Jive”, produced by JUNE!. Following up his potent single “Through the fire” and EP Walking Aimless, “Jive” finds Nebula. delivering expressive verses atop hypnotic, subtly eery production from I’ll Never Die member JUNE!. “Jive” is a claustrophobic head-trip of a track that is unafraid to experiment and dabble in psychedelica, making for a captivating listen. Nebula.’s vocal tone suits the ominous edge of the production, while he keeps his flows dynamic in a manner that entices the listener and has them guessing. Overall, “Jive” treads into refreshing territory with its otherworldly ambiance, unsettling urgency, and gymnastic flows. Give it a listen below.
Skiii has connected with John Da Lemon and NAHreally for a new song called “Forget It”. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Skiii began his career with a prolific streak of 20 instrumental projects between 2015-2019, before he delved into creating full songs with vocals. Replicating feelings and experiences through sounds and words, Skiii has built more momentum throughout projects like Adventures In 23rd Universe and Days In Detroit. For his latest offering, he connects with John Da Lemon and NAHreally for a laid-back, vivid new song, titled, “Forget It”.
“Forget It” conjures a warm, nostalgic soundscape with glowing xylophones, immersive, watery keys, and an organic-sounding rhythm section. Sounding unhurried and comfortable in its lane, the production sets an apt backdrop for the track’s smooth, focused flows, as the emcees come together with a natural synergy that translates to the relaxing feel of “Forget It”.