Heartfelt integrity through a stripped-back, evocative acoustic realm. Piano and vocals simply paired, melody and emotion intertwined for something raw, real, and compelling. AD9 starts up an engaging and memorable EP, with the beautifully moving hip hop and RnB-fusing gem Sticking It Out.
Backed by a lifetime writing lyrics, AD9 takes his bars and intentions to greater heights this year – modern production tools permitting a sense of completion and precision that lets these hooks, stories, and sentiments all shine brightly. No Genre is aptly unconfined by style, and also presents a level of conceptual freedom and realism, which lets the intricacies of AD9’s creative expression stand tall.
Though Sticking It Out is a clear highlight for its timeless pop quality and emotional depth, the project is completely unpredictable from here on in. We get playful comedy and nostalgia backed by a reggae rhythm afterwards, To Be A Kid Again feeling like the work of an entirely different artist – that versatility is commonplace now, and as such, any song in its own right delivers a worthy groove and mood.
Love Again, the leading single from the EP, leans towards smooth and romantic RnB and soul pop – a modest capture, in my view, but a pleasure to lose yourself within for a while. Then later, Move On employs guitar licks and breathy intimacy that’s something like modern acoustic pop; with a seductive twist of RnB woven into the performance.
After this, the rap confidence and swagger of Minaj and the like presents a two-part vocal dynamic for FTS – an anthem that’s bold in its classic rap bassline, beat, and flow.
Just when you think you get the style, Land Of The Snakes injects a fierce old-school rock and roll anthem that’s gritty and bluesy in its raspy passion and distortion. The lyrics feel poignant, perhaps even ironic, and the heavy sound adds powerful contrast with the catchy rap anthem I Survived; a song that brings the EP to a memorable finish.
This inspiring closing track promotes self-belief – motivational statements and a deeply-human story that’s fast-paced, breathless even, but ultimately alluring for its sharp bars, poetry, and sense of overcoming. A great way to wrap up the rather perfectly-titled EP No Genre – a project unconfined by expectation, but secure in its free-flowing sense of identity and artistic indulgence from the elusive but focused AD9.
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