From the brand new EP ODD BALLIN, Westie Subz kicks up the energy and sharp bars, with contemporary references, lashings of wordplay, creative and quirky production, and an all-together vocal chorus of voices that reinforces the anthemic core of the style.
Aye Ma is all of this, an opening track and introduction to Westie Subz that’s impossible to ignore, and which feels both creatively free and relevant in its uninhibited fusion of hip hop styles past and present.
Westie Subz notes an eclectic repertoire though, far from a one-trick-pony on the performance and songwriting front. Consider the 2024 EP HourGlasses, from which the boldly auto-tuned, melodic and ambient Train Traxx delivered a completely different style.
Train Traxx is poetic, rises and falls with emotion and purpose, and features a classic four-to-the-floor groove that helps reinforce the catchy fluidity of the tune. There’s something addictive and satisfying about the sound of this track, and in its stark opposition to Aye Ma, it shines light on the inherent versatility of Westie Subz.
From the same project, cinderellaMANia follows a near-euphoric dance-pop alternative root, with an infectious melody and a thick beat that draws influence from rap’s eclectic past.
Hakuna Matata is also a brilliant reimagining, holding close to the original and infamous opening moment, with a warped bassline and playful trap rhythm to follow, and that fearlessly entertaining multi-vocal grit and passion to light up the performative flair of Westie in a perhaps divisive but unignorable way.
2024 was a huge year for Westie Subz. Larry Bird OG hit the scene as a dark and deeper-toned single from the rising artist, and highlighted the old-school rap roots that inspired the creative in everything from storytelling to the clarity of the mix to the nostalgic and mellow yet heavy nature of the beat.
One final highlight from the Westie Subz catalogue is the haunting piano-backdrop and personal expression of 100 Roses. Featuring a diverse vocal performance from lower-toned depth to raspy and playful peaks, 100 Roses is another late-night street-rap ode that’s overloaded with sharp wordplay and references both historical and contemporary.
It’s another distinct alternative from the rapper and artist, and further underlines the breadth of ability and influence that helps carve out such an unpredictable lane for Westie Subz.
Find Westie Subz on Instagram & TikTok.
