Relationship struggles, from love to uncertainty, infatuation to doubt, reach out to connect – alongside a soundscape and melody that offer a strong groove and easy alternative hit to vibe to.
Trap
Clearly taking tips from contemporary hip hop but more notably rolling with a decidedly creative edge, Joseph Q’s Smartphone effectively meanders throughout fresh territory.
This heavy, fuzz-soaked riff and chord progression creates a sense of dark confidence, which contrasts well with the quiet uncertainty of the vocal.
Trap beats swirl around some thumping, pumping piano (is that a Korg M1pre-set I hear?) that’s immediately reminiscent of the sort of 90s tunes that troubled the charts with a slick regularity.
LVSTNIGHT’s debut EP combines dark story-telling with equally intense vocals and often unsettling, creatively unpredictable soundscapes.
Whatever you’re doing right now, grab some headphones, turn up the volume, and let the blissful good vibes and unity of this single rain down around you.
The whole thing sounds fit to grace the hip hop landscape of these final moments from 2019, and at the same time, it works well to introduce the vocal tone, writing style and intentions of a hard-working New York artist.
From The Soul is a uniquely relevant and smooth, contemporary pop hit, but it comes with more than a few layers of personality and power that effectively elevate the entire track way above many of its peers.
Featuring a striking beat, synth-soaked and tripped up like dark trap with an EDM edge, the single sees Jedstarr perform seemingly limitless bars by means of an unwavering, faultless flow that barely allows him room to breathe.
No Hugs is a stand-out single from the young artist, a track that follows a hip hop beat and a mildly dance-hall, beach-side riff section, seeing a story of the complicated side of love at war with that which purely seeks a little fun.
The finish on this track is a little dreamy, somewhat warped and distant, which actually fits well with the slurred vocal sound and many of the more audible lyrics.
Brilliant, a personal favourite and a whole new streak of talent, intention and unstoppable creativity from producer and DJ Tommy Hart. Versatility is key, and this project has it mastered.