Four brand new originals from artist and rapper TeeBully emerge this season, each one melodically pure and organic in set-up – refreshing from the outset, and driving with a clear sense of reflective heart and soul.
Beginning with the emo-rap ambience and scene-setting of Poppin’ – a surprinsgly mellow track, with that immediately familiar TeeBully sound about it, but an air of something fresh at the same time – the new music takes influence from the melodic hip hop of recent years; auto-tune ready yet poetic in its brief talk of demons and struggles.
Poppin’ makes its way through various sections – the opening melodic moments aren’t the full journey; there’s spoken word, a change in tone, a fall away from the beat – all of which helps keep the track and the mood engaging.
With Better Alone, the subtle guitar sound from before has far more clarity – a crisp and impressive acoustic presentation, accompanied by a quickly satisfying vocal melody.
Beautifully appropriate production helps this one really shine. There’s a softness to it, a late-night contemplative vibe, which is calming yet emotional all at once; thanks to these deeply reflective, honest and personal lyrics.
A definite highlight for its fearlessness and open declaration of heartache and loneliness – and the consistent, welcomed absence of a beat. Nicely crafted.
Everyday takes this introspective writing even further, fast bars and tired vocals helping create a sense of lostness and uncertainty, which in turn connects for its poignancy considering the isolation and turmoil of recent times.
While this one is something of a slow burner, it ultimately impresses perhaps more than ever – a diary-like outpouring, various flows, upfront vocal rasp and a catchy melody and guitar riff. A definite highlight in retrospect, certain lyrics really stand out for their take on contemporary absurdities.
An already familiar Shady marks the fourth single, gentle in acoustic finger-picking again but accompanied by a wash of synths, some further production details and rhythms, and a quietly whispered voice that brings modern emo-rap tendencies through in both lyric and melody.
There’s a subtly infectious hook to this one, and the rap verse injects a worthy dynamic to keep things interesting.
TeeBully is making his the way to the top of his game with this series of releases. He has his sound and is mastering it, and the songs continuously follow a genuine, heartfelt pathway.
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