Intertwining political integrity and conscious bars both confronting and personal, Smoke&Bones essentially achieves a fine balance between the sheer confidence of Hip Hop and the more purposeful undertones of independent rap and songwriting that stands the test of time.
Hip Hop
Built around a refreshingly simple yet increasingly fast-paced beat, Reality leads with good vibes from the outset, and depicts a leading rapper with a clear story to tell and a series of from-the-heart reflections to shine light on.
“I think rap right now is in a bit of a transitional period. There’s so many great artists, but I do think it’s waiting to see who’s gonna be the next stars for this next decade.”
From ambient and atmospheric hyper trap through a series of emotional deep-dives in relation to self-destruction, pain and hope all intertwined – producer Axtronomical intoxicates listeners, throughout the sixteen-track album DYSPHORIA.
Introducing an intoxicating balance of high-octane rhythms and euphoric production – Child of SP fuses genres with relevance and fluidity, for the boldly thought-provoking single Halo.
Poignant lyrics and piercing sound-design carefully intertwines delicacy and depth – St.Serpentis carves out a gritty and contemplative new lane, with the fascinating and consuming single Razorblade Laced Lullaby.
Retro electronic production introduces a boldly descending riff that instantly works its way into your headspace. AZ131 is quick to redirect expectations though, with the upfront rap vocals and characterful evolution of Keep It Authentic.
Quirky vocals and colourful production deliver a painfully relatable yet upbeat Hip Hop original – Flywrite takes on the daily mundane, with the memorable new single Work.
Introducing a compelling fusion of genres, an explosive collaboration between the unique spiritual consciousness of rapper Souleye, and the fiercely intense new metal weight of We Are PIGS – Ghost Town is a fast-paced and fascinating original track, that manages to feel both nostalgic and unrivalled in originality.
Stacking bars upon bars throughout a breathless delivery, Swift Dotti showcases the very best of his abilities as a modern performer and writer, and there’s also a clear connection between the artist and the underlying beat – rather than two worlds forced together, as is more commonly the case in the rap and collab realm of late.
Scottish rapper and artist TEKKY hits hard both musically and on the mic, with the launch of his gritty and impactful new indie gem Hack It.
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!