There’s something inherently inspiring and enjoyable about Scrubs – it presents a level of appreciation and connection, togetherness, that’s rarely introduced or celebrated in hip hop.
Music
Maxime fuses an organic folk sound with a mildly theatrical performance style for this EP, paying tribute to effective and raw musicality as much as his family background in theatre.
The humble nature of this piece, the natural sound, combined with the poetic undertones and purpose of the performance, all helps make it a notably unique and striking release for 2019
To break this down to its underlying sentiments, the song for the most part addresses personal difficulty – struggle, regret, looking back. And yet, in line with that you get a surprisingly uplifting & hopeful arrangement, and by the end the song offers a similar level of possibility; ‘Regret can’t be something you take with you everyday’.
The ever-poetic wordsmith Bricen Mac returns this summer with perhaps his most heartfelt & openly appreciative release yet. Directly addressing his father, presenting the song as a gift & a thank you, Dear Father brings back that quietly confident vocal tone, amidst a smooth & ballad-like, piano-led backdrop.
The very concept of balance, of needing to find that in order to achieve peace and to re-connect with those who matter, is something rarely pondered in modern hip hop; or music in general. This song goes against the grain in many ways, not throwing blame or leading with guilt, just keeping things honest.
TexMex Shaman’s return this month brings an explicitly unique cover of a summertime classic. In his own words, when approaching this yesteryear hit from The Commodores, TexMex Shaman tried to ‘keep the soul and change the shoes;’ a brilliantly fitting phrase that actually perfectly well encapsulates the journey you’re about to embark upon.
The simplicity of the composition can either seem heavily juxtaposed with, or completely at one with, the very idea of infinity.
Containing the slightly punky spirit of bands like Dr. Feelgood, it’s well produced, performed and presented – and hooky. It deserves to do well.
In terms of genre, New Realms (that title is probably a clue!) is borrowing from all over the place. As well as the influences I’ve already mentioned, there is something of Ulrich Schnauss-era Engineers about the overall effect of the EP. It’s rich, imaginative, compelling and intriguing. It’s hard to imagine higher praise than this.
Awe hits so many sweet spots during its run time, it’s genuinely difficult not to keep hitting repeat as a reviewer. This makes me think real attention has been paid to the arrangement – there’s never a dull moment – and right up to the end, new colours are used to draw us in sonically. Great stuff!
Lonely builds and bubbles up in a perfectly emotional manner, right the way through until its ultimate, beautifully chaotic breaking point. A powerful and timeless track that brings together unquestionable purity and pain from the depths of the human experience.