Maybe I wasn’t sure it was possible, but Endsightt has, once again, released a brand new collection that completely surprises, and furthermore – inspires.
This particular project is Endsightt’s first official mixtape. His last extended length release was the sensational The Music Demo, his debut, just over a year ago. With this initial project I was inclined to talk about the artist’s impressive fusion of sincerity and artistic brilliance. That is to say, the way in which the soundscape is utterly, creatively free, following its own path entirely, yet the lyricism presents these deeply human ideas that allow audiences to fully connect with the content. Somehow, the exact same truth has come to be known once again, in the form of a string of fresh recordings.
The Pioneer Mixtape is unmissable. Appropriately named for a release from the pioneer of art rap, and ever impressive again in its approach to musical expression. Opening with the stylishly seductive 23, Endsightt offers the very essence of creative ability. The music, the sound of his voice, the lyrics – none of this is merely a vocal on top of a beat. The whole thing is emotionally and structurally connected, and it’s gripping – every new sound effect, every moment of rising intensity and passion in the leading rap vocal – it all reaches out for you, and refuses to let go until the end.
Ensightt’s rap flow is pretty unique on this project, the velocity and energy of it draws no distinct comparisons. It’s this stream of consciousness style that comes across as so pure and real. The music too, developing in an unpredictable yet beautiful manner – the way in which even just the opening track erupts and evolves is pretty mesmerising.
El Paso, Pt. 2 (feat. Too Truee) showcases a notably more classic hip-hop inspired piece of music. The initial featured vocal has a certain sense of character that immediately mixes things up and presents listeners with a laid back yet confident display of ideas. The music follows a similar pathway to modern rap or trap music, though having said that, the backdrop is loaded with these retro synths that actually seem more familiar for their relation to old school games than to songwriting.
Lucy allows Endsightt to reinstate creative control a little, though once again the piece veers off in some unpredictable direction – every instance of which seems to depend on where the artistic moment takes him. This is a smooth piece of music, well contrasted with the high energy and passion of the leading vocal. The hook is likely to catch up with you later in your day, whether you expect it to or not.
Send Me On My Way is a masterpiece. The title alone is likely to excite listeners who recognise the song name from elsewhere, and almost instantly, the start of the song, the build up throughout, the addictive energy of it all – the track makes for a manic yet beautifully smooth recording, capable of both baffling and calming a curious mind. The raw and organic nature of the instrumentation is blissful, particularly in between some of the slightly heavier sounding tracks. The whole thing feels like an acoustic live moment, right there in your living room.
The iconic and infectious Ghost Of John makes an appearance here and fits beautifully within the arrangement of songs. Endsightt’s vocal and lyrical abilities are unquestionable, the flow in this case is phenomenal, as are the overall energy and good vibes of the track. Then you get the low key, even modest energy and reflective storytelling of Girl Wasn’t The World. This track offers up a sort of indie-rock anthem for the broken hearted. The vocal melodies, the production, the acoustic guitar riff – the organic elements that make up songs like this are hypnotic, always so professionally, artistically, and effectively crafted by Endsightt. At over six minutes long this one is well worth listening to in depth, perhaps more than once, allowing the soundscape and mood of the piece to fully drench you.
That Town Was Just a Town is the perfect example of the unexpected yet beautifully relevant scenes that Endsightt so creatively drives into our lives. There’s nothing quite like this featured elsewhere on this (or his prior) release, and yet it fits. The sound of the voice is there, the ethereal energy and opportunity of the music. But this is not merely a song – this is some other realm of artistry, one that should be listened to as a means of escaping entirely from one’s own reality, into the unknown; not afraid, but with calmness and trust. It works, and furthermore, it’s another example of the uniquely flawless artistry that is the expressive output of Endsightt. The literal storytelling is late to the stage in this case, but it’s well worth hanging on for. The imagery and overall effect of the song is completely flipped upside down once the vocal comes clearly into play.
The mixtape closes down with Pioneer (Wait For Second Born), a final reminder of the passion and intensity that is the essence of Endsightt’s performances. The lyricism comes loaded with emotion and urgency, the instrumentation behind it feeds further into this manic energy. As always, the artist plays around with structure as if he were crafting an independent film right there in front of you. As always, it’s impossible not to hang onto every word and every musical moment.
As compelling and refreshing as ever, all over again – in a completely new way. The familiar sound of Endsightt’s voice is the thread, along with the depth and variation of topic. That said, everything else about this mixtape highlights the fact that this is something completely new to embrace.
Download the Mixtape via CDBaby. Find & follow Endsightt on Facebook.
