Showing posts with label music review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music review. Show all posts


Right now, North Carolina is in a state of emergency. The monstrous Hurricane Florence is whipping towards the Tar Heel State, spurring mass panic and evacuation throughout the eastern south. Despite imminent catastrophe, one man in particular remains tucked in Willmington; comforting his mother, who refuses to flee. That man is rapper/producer, Octobor, and through his interview with USA Blog Network, the Southern artist makes it clear he and his family have zero intentions of leaving. Through his recent release, we come to learn exactly why: North Carolina is his “Thing”, and will remain so until there’s no more North Carolina left. Rolling in at three minutes and thirty-one seconds, “Thing” is an exceptionally lax banger. It rivals the incoming hurricane by being a poised, tranquil breeze of a record. Over the gallop of trap drums, and automated whirl of the track’s ambient background, Octobor smoothly coasts. Absolutely nothing about his flow or delivery comes off forceful. He sounds completely at home in the comfort of speakers and a microphone; which ultimately translates into a gracious trap anthem. “Its a northside thing, southside thing / eastside thing, westside thing—“ he chants effortlessly throughout the chorus, shouting out every region his home state has to offer. Being a beacon for North Carolina in the hour it’s needed most. “Thing” is a relatable smash just waiting to explode across the mainstream. If he continues to push it, showing the world just how much talent he has to offer, every month of the year will be Octobor’s.



 “THING”
[Download/Stream]


Recent Interview: 
#follow
 


It was once said that stars are born and not made. It has also been said that they are born everyday, so it wouldnt surprise me if a little favor has been shown to the home of the Hollywood Stars. One listen to L.A.'s own, Hollywood Mac and you can tell he was born to be a star. Mac, who recieved his nickname in high school is dropping his debut solo single "Hundo." The L.A. emcee hops on the speaker quaking, infectious head banger effortlessly spitting bars of gold, all while keeping the club moving. 


Hollywood Mac ironically spent years running a club before stepping to the mic and exercising his natural gift. Mac is the son of two musicians(father is a drummer, mother is a singer), it was inevitable that he would one day make dope music of his own. Keep an wye out for what Hollywood Mac has in store and while you wait, play "Hundo" that many times. Enjoy “Get Away” and join Hollywood Mac's growing movement today!




“HUNDO” Stream/Download:


#follow
 



Back in 2006, legendary New York emcee, Nas, declared that Hip-Hop was dead. The insurgence of autotune, melodies, and growing “pop” aesthetic in the music, made this declaration incredibly logical. Even modern day, where the culture is leaning further and further towards a commodity instead of artform; Golden Hip-Hop seems to have lost its place with the turn of the century. That’s what makes rap act, Lockness Carnival’s, recent release “Tickets To The Dope Show” such a blindsided sucker-punch; loud enough to throttle the graveyard, and awaken that Golden Age artistry from its deathly slumber. “Tickets To The Dope Show” is a seven-track resurrection of one of the most celebrated eras of rap; hearkening back to the 90s time period with a beautiful blend of lyricism and old-school production. The only exception to this is the second track, “Urban Litty” which features a more new-age, electronic beat. Everything else follows a strict, satisfying rubric; with which the emcee, Dark Angel, shines impeccably across his producer, Strange’s, instrumentation. Dark Angel has a powerful affinity with imagery and storytelling; and he uses such to paint the most polarizing portraits. There are strong horrorcore themes locked in the stories of “Margo Santana” and “Hector”, yet backed by Strange’s warm, vinyl-singed primeval production, this imagery becomes eerily gorgeous. Another great element of this duo is that they do not solely rely on music to tell their tales. In the middle of the project, there are skits and snippets that fit flawlessly between Angel’s own verses, giving his stories even greater dimensionality. “Tickets To The Dope Show” is an outstanding blast to the past from two amazing creatives. If Hip-Hop is dead, they’ll be of the few to thank for its revival.


 [Download/Stream]
“Tickets To The Dope Show”
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tickets-to-the-dope-show/1417721010


#follow
 


One of the most indisputable objects in our universe is Truth. Truth is a titan, that has historically opened the eyes of millions and led to irreversible changes within societies all across the globe; both personally, and with people as a whole. As Philly-NYC producer, Klem, likewise demonstrates to us, Truth can also lead to one amazing record. A four-minute sonic escapade, “The Truth”, feat. Rino, is Klem’s breakout single from a mysterious, upcoming project. On this venture, while guest rappers take the reigns as far as vocals go, our East Coast beatsmith diving completely into production. And in this sonic sea, he swims flawlessly. The track commands attention from the jump; showing unique character through an ambient pad and EDM-esque bass frying in a bed of vinyl crackles. Eventually, in tandem with the verse of Rino, a loop of conventional, boom-bap hip-hop drums are introduced, and the record immediately gains traction. Rino drops gargantuan gems about the notion of Truth, and its impact, while Klem guides us on an aural adventure. There is a moment around the 1:15 mark where a sweet melody of rhodes keys come in, giving the instrumental a completely different flavor. Then, at about 1:45, a gorgeous, soft-rock guitar rift splits the mix, seasoned by series of melodic, reverberated licks. To tell the Truth, this is one of the most progressive, yet gratifying instrumentals I have heard all year; and if this is any preview as to what Klem has in store for us on the album, he is most certainly holding a masterpiece.



“THE TRUTH” Stream/Download:

7 Questions with KLEM


1. When did you you 1st begin making music?
KLEM: Alright so I first started making music when I was 13, I’m 23 now so it’s been a solid 10 years of learning production. I started my musical experience though when I was 9 and learned how to play the trumpet. I then learned to the play the guitar when I was 12 and got my first audio interface at 13. It was an old Line 6 pod audio interface that came with Ableton.

2. What genres do you specialize in?
KLEM: I grew up listening to a bunch of genres. Between Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink 182, Elton John, Eminem, Tupac, and Johnny Cash - I grew up with every type of music and found ways to appreciate everything that was made with hard work and determination. I have been working with alternative rock for a long time and then started working with electronic music when I was 15 (it was my Deadmau5 phase and electronic music and dubstep was bumping everywhere) and recently that turned into working on hip hop beats and phusing that with typical electronic and alternative instrumentation.

3. What hiphop producer has influenced you and why?
KLEM: I absolutely love the guys that help produce for Kendrick Lamar, Run the Jewels, and clipping. That includes Top Dawg, El-P, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes. They all aren’t afraid to try something different and new. They don’t really care if people love or hate it because they are always against the grain of what’s popular and it seems like they are all years ahead of everyone else. They take risks and most of the time it works out beautifully.

4. What kind of equipment or programs do you use for making a beat?KLEM: I use Ableton as my DAW with plenty of plug ins by izotope, Line 6, and many third party company plug ins. I use a focusrite pre-amp with my arsenal of condenser vox and instrument mics. I have a Taylor acoustic guitar along with an Ibanez semi-hollow body and another Ibanez solid body guitar. Everything I do with my beats come from either my Arturia midi controller or sounds I record myself. I also sometimes use some samples through splice when I want to add another layer to my tracks.

5. What is the concept behind your new project? 6. What artists are on the project and how did you connect?
KLEM: The concept behind my new project has a lot to do with nostalgia - either sonically, lyrically, or both. I found a lot of vocalists from around the US using Instagram, Fiverr, Facebook, and even some home town friends. I wanted to create a sonic soundscape with different vocalists for each song. There are also a couple instrumental tracks as well. I’m throwing all my chips down and putting my all into this project because I want it to be something to be proud of. I love the sounds from the 80s and I really dig vapor wave / aesthetic art styles and I wanted to find a way to paint that picture with sounds. Some of the artists include Rino, Keybeaux, Woodsy Wasabi, preachblvvk, Jordyn Oran, S-Class, and Nekrog

7. What does the future holds for your career?
KLEM: Well that’s a real open ended question. I’m working on a separate alternative/folk/rock album with an awesome producer, Josh from Invengo Productions, which might be out in the winter, and I’m hoping to release this current HipHop project in October. It’s going to be called Aesthetic and I can’t wait to see how it’s received. My current single, The Truth (feat. Rino), has been received very well from most listeners so I’m excited to see where this project takes me. I love working with and collaborating with others so I’m just excited to see where this all takes me.


#follow
 





Jack of all trades. Renaissance man. Well rounded. Whatever adjective you want to use to describe it, some people are just talented. J. Ransom is one of those unique individuals. The Morristown, New Jersey native does it all. Not only is he an up and coming star, Mr. Futrell is an Author, Co-Founders of Really Right Productions, JAC media and promotions, and last but definitely not least, has a Masters Degree in Applied Sciences. The well accomplished artist is back with his new album 'I Care'. 

The project has a mellow vibe throughout and is primarily themed around vivid encounters and past relationships. Ransom presents a variety of melodic styles on I care and the results are evident on standout tracks like "The Game", "How Far", "Already Told You", and "Cant Help Myself." It wouldn't surprise me at all if J. Ransom's work ethic and versatility has him sitting at the table with the J. Coles and Drakes of the world in the very near future. Enjoy the new album and join J. Ransom's growing movement today! 





“I CARE” Stream/Download: 




#follow
 

Since its inception, America has been ravaged by racism. There was a hope that the ending of brutal, centuries-long slavery, and furthermore, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, would annihilate this hatred rooted so deeply in our country. However, recently, it seems as though nothing has changed. Police brutality in urban, minority communities is re-approaching its zenith with the popularity of racist, police shootings; and it feels as though we are voiceless in the midst of these atrocities. That is, for everyone aside from Chicago rapper, John Will. 

On his latest release, “Black In America”, produced by Grammy Award winner, Ricco Lumpkins, Will refuses to go unheard. Over a room-shaking, golden era beat, the Chitown emcee is brash and in-your-face. There’s a pulse of undeniable adrenaline and unquenchable anger coursing through each bar he spits regarding the current state of our nation. “Police buy you food after you’ve shot up a church—“ he rhynes in his second verse, referencing the tragedy that struck Charleston, South Carolina in 2015. It is bars such as that one that divide this record from so many other conscious ones before it. On this joint, backed by a sample-heavy, boom-bap production, he addresses the harsh, gut-wrenching realities of American racism. Wielding the spirit of the Black Panthers, and so many revolutionaries before him, John Will holds no punches on “Black In America”. And that makes for one, controversial, yet much-needed, perfectly-executed haymaker of a record. 

#follow

"Gotta hustle everyday, thats all I know—" rings like a mantra on the hook of Los Angeles rapper, RAJ WILL’s, latest, titanic single “Hustle”. This Chris Beach-produced banger has all the makings of an anthem: rhythmic flow, chantable chorus, quotable lyrics and a bouncy, trap beat. “Hustle” begins with a progression of hazy, atmospheric chords, fulfilled by a prancing, futuristic synth. These provide the melodic canvas for the beat; and soon after their introduction, a pattern of drums is splattered onto the portrait. The drums are upbeat and conventional; evidence that Beach is skilled at tailoring a simple, yet infectious vibe. What happens next is evidence WILL, our rapper, is skilled at everything else needed for a national, Hip-Hop hit. The West Coast spitter hits the beat running, dropping lyrical jewels in a flurry of conversational rhymes. "Quality over the quantity, and clarity over stupidity—" he raps smoothly within his first verse, showing just how little he cares about wordplay or metaphors. 

What RAJ WILL cares most about is spitting with poise and sending a message. That message is to "Make a couple stacks, spend a bit / Make it right back, that’s without a doubt—". If ever you are feeling unmotivated, no matter your profession, throw on this two minute, Billboard-ready single and you are guaranteed to bounce right back to that “Hustle” you do so well.


“HUSTLE” on Soundcloud



#follow
 



A song coming from an artiste that has had the “next to death” experience. Artist SlickMick details his journey from being “ok” to lying in a hospital bed not knowing what is really going on whether in his head or anywhere around him. This is basically a testimonial of closing out an experience in Cambodia and heading to Thailand where his world change in the blink of an eye. He could remember stepping from a bus and as he made his way to crossing the street, it all went blank when he was hit by a car and ended up in rehab where his life was now a matter of recovery or out.


Through his song, you could literally hear his passion for living and his strong courage and determination to fight his way through to full recovery. This song portrays his bravery and can definitely be a form of peace and motivation for those going through a struggle and trying to keep going. Though it may be a sad experience, his strength over-powers that and makes him a tower of strength for many in the music industry and those listening. It goes to show life experiences don’t determine your destiny but pushing through and using those said experiences as a stepping stone for greater heights. A true inspiration of fighting through physical, psychological and emotional weakness!


#follow