Retro electronic sound-play and quirky titles meet with minimalist artwork and contemporary effected raps – the elusive ron builds up a fresh sound, with the likes of this year’s single Ed Hardy Swag!
Featuring heavy electro production and a sort of freestyle, simplistic rap, the track rises towards a brighter melodic hook – a moment that effectively meets the colourful optimism of the music, before we return to that distinct vocal flow once again.
ron’s versatility is largely on the musical side, with tracks like PRLS leaning more notably towards the big-beat weight of classic Hip Hop; and a vocal thread fusing melody and rap throughout the same extensive vocoder and effects. There’s ambient space here, the soundscape paving its own way – echoes of ideas implying depth while surface level observations keep things grounded amidst the lighter side of modern rap.
CITY acts as a kind of second part to this release, now adopting a haunting set-up and a longer-form story loaded with passion and grit.
Elsewhere, from the EP All Love 2 You!, ron highlights a different side to his writing repertoire. Emotional tones and relationship stories connect on a new level, the likes of Go Ahead! standing out for its bassline and vulnerability combined with that evocative melody. A definite highlight from the ron collection of original rap tracks.
Taking things a little further back, 2023 saw the release of the soulful and catchy STOP, both in normal and sped-up versions. The latter feels like a nineties RnB hit with a quirky and memorable tone and tune. Another highlight for its ambient calm and the addictive nature of the flow and emotional honesty.
Also released in 2023 was the project SKETCHED, from which the hard-hitting and vocally tired WENT WRONG tips its hat to the emergence of new Hip Hop during the 2010’s. It’s a story with details, meaning and heart, and as such it keeps that level of intention and value at the forefront to really connect with listeners.
Work ethic is key to developing both an artistic style and a career in this industry. ron maintains that work ethic with consistent releases and a subtly shifting, creatively unpredictable thread of influences that let each new track capture something modestly new. Thoughtful emo rap tracks and catchy anthems, harder hitting late-night escapism – there’s a little of all of this woven into the catalogue, and it’s only set to expand all the more so.