Misery Coast – Self-Titled review

Misery Coast is a horrorcore & production duo consisting of Grand Rapids, Michigan rapper, singer/songwriter, producer & Dirtcore Music founder Crossworm and Windsor, Ontario, Canada rapper/producer J Reno. These guys have already been established within the underground wicked shit scene individually for over a decade or 2 already, forming last Christmas after having a couple tracks land on the Dirtcore showcase compilation. Some of the label’s acts had the honor of performing at the Gathering of Legends or the 25th annual Gathering of the Juggalos this summer & with Hallowicked festivities in a few days, Misery Coast’s looking to introduce themselves by releasing a brand new EP.

After the “Coast is Cursed” intro, the first song “Dance with the Devil” begins with a cold-blooded boom bap instrumental talking about sitting beside a fire where the lost souls go whereas “I Fuckin’ Do” takes a rap rock approach to the beat flexing they have the keys to a dead city. “Feed the Fear” talks about death always being nearby no matter how far any one tries to run from it & a haunted heartbeat stealing sleep leading into the “Coast is Clear” interlude.

“Welcome to” starts the 2nd half of the extended play with Crossworm & J Reno by dabbling with trap advising to disregard all the corpses beneath them looking to cause more than simply disorderly conduct while “The Ghost of Who I Used to Be” returns to the boom bap with some sampling talking about seeing part versions of themselves. “Is It Even Halloween?” celebrates the upcoming holiday with a 2 & a half minute wicked shit heater while “1 Last Cloud” finishes by talking about being born with violent cores.

Similarly to what Bodies Below Sea Level did with their eponymous debut album at the very beginning of November immediately following the previous Hallowicked season, it’s Misery Coast turn to properly introduce themselves as a group with a 21 minute EP providing depressive wicked shit for the hopeless & J Reno continuing to bring Crossworm right back to his hip hop roots in time for this weekend.

Score: 4/5

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Aesop Rock – “I Heard It’s a Mess There Too” review

New York emcee/producer Aesop Rock surprise-releasing his 12th studio LP almost 5 months since Black Hole Superette. Universally revered for his massive vocabulary, the man has put out a handful of underground hip hop essentials throughout the decades whether it be his solo catalogue or his membership of groups like Hail Mary Mallon or Malibu Ken. As far as his solo stuff: I recommend his sophomore effort & Definitive Jux Records debut Labor Day alongside The Impossible Kid, which was his 2nd under Rhymesayers Entertainment whom Aesop has made himself home with for over a decade strong. Blockhead had fully produced Garbology to acclaim & Integrated Tech Solutions has quickly received the same love The Impossible Kid, coming off the most complexly-produced opus of his career to put I Heard It’s a Mess There Too on YouTube & his website.

“Crystals & Herbs” starts us off with a quirky, self-produced boom bap intro abstractly explaining that you can’t blame the rigged system for not being able to defend yourself whereas “The Cut” takes an eerier route to the beat talking about being in a secluded location. “Full House Pinball” advises to remember what a little fresh air can do for us all just before “Bag Lunch” talks about having whole blocks on lockdown instead of avenues.

Meanwhile on “Spin to Win”, we have Aes over a funkier beat whipping around the woods & rattling the limbs of those nearby leading into “Opossum” instrumentally reminding me a little of Griselda running circles around instead of running in circles. “Oh My Stars” begins the 2nd half sharing donuts with crows whenever he finds himself unsure as to where to go while “Potato Leek Soup” talks about playing in the streets all day & encouraging bystanders to be scared.

“Pay the Man” begins the 3rd & final act of I Heard It’s a Mess There Too by working in a boom bap beat with some chimes feeling confident that he could throw a playing card that would land between one’s praying hands while “Poly Cotton Blend” shows off his sampling techniques forever hittin’ the ground runnin’ with the bum rush. “Fall Home” tells all of his friends he hopes they find what they need to become the people they were meant to be & the closer “Sherbert” advising one could be the likes of which we ain’t seen.

Rather than expanding the complexity of Black Hole Superette’s production earlier this spring, Aesop Rock makes a conscious shift in approach when making I Heard It’s a Mess There Too using newer tools to make his sound cleaner & more minimal because he felt like he’s been making music similarly for quite some time embracing a detailed concept around keeping up with long-distance friendships & the ways social media’s being used to document tragedies & political uprisings.

Score: 4.5/5

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Jay NiCE & Tha God Fahim – “Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 17” review

Atlanta, Georgia emcee Jay NiCE & the local Dump Gawd himself Tha God Fahim reuniting for their 3rd collaborative EP. Both of whom have worked with each other countless times in the past several years, teaming up for the collab album Strictly 4 My D.U.M.P.E.R.Z. during the spring of 2018 & the Bloodspiller EP almost 3 years ago. Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 12 produced by Nicholas Craven was the last time we heard them joining forces & they’re doing it again for the 17th installment.

“At Worst I’m Legend” starts with both of them over a bare soul sample turning their opposition into bloodbaths while “Swift N Effective” by Tha God Fahim soulfully talks about his mind continuously wondering as the cash flow picks up. “Wolves N Sheep” continues the sampling flexing that both of them are the coldest in their respective fields leading into the jazzy “Organize Power” talking about being brutally ruthless.

The song “1,000 Lashes” starts nears the conclusion of Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 17 by incorporating more vocal chops promising they won’t be granting safe passages just before “Divine Smite” marks Jay NiCE’s final appearance talking about needing sharpness & heart to battle them. “Ruthless Lawbringer” sends off the EP with a 2nd & final solo cut from Fahim advising to look at the bigger picture along with the small details.

Wasn’t expecting to get another collab project out of the Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap saga this quickly let alone a 2nd one with Jay NiCE but since Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 12 became his & Tha God Fahim’s greatest joint offering yet, you’re probably gonna enjoy the 2nd entry of this ongoing season equally although I prefer the latter. Nicholas Craven’s production is mostly boom bap centered like the predecessor last month was with the exception of the drumless influences being emphasized & the evident chemistry of both lyricists.

Score: 3.5/5

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WowGr8 – “Howl at da Moon” review

WowGr8 is a 35 year old rapper from Atlanta, Georgia notable for being 1/2 of the EARTHGANG with Olu. They would later form the Spillage Village collective together, which J. Cole signing the EARTHGANG as well as J.I.D & the rest of the crew to his Dreamville Records imprint. He also has a solo mixtape & an extended play of his own on SoundCloud at this point, celebrating his birthday weekend by dropping an official solo debut in preparation for his partner-in-rhyme’s Earth 2 Olu.

After the “Red Band Trailer” intro, the first song “Keep It in Da Fam” sets up shop with a soulful trap instrumental talking about people only hating on him & his crew because they’re unstoppable whereas “Dirty Job” featuring Chris Patrick takes a jazzier approach explaining that they’re doing the tough work because someone has to. “Dumbass” dabbles with trap talking about learning the hard way sometimes leading into “Avant Garde” featuring Flvme explaining that they had to switch up their approach.

“Ya Woah” incorporates some sampling to suggest that any children around his vicinity should head home because he’s got a fully loaded clip on him just before “Debo” featuring Bigg Cup & Deante’ Hitchcock homage Tiny Lister’s character from the Friday franchise. Marco+ later joins WowGr8 for 3 minutes of “Pure Debauchery” prior to “Labrador” talking about not being with the back-&-forth shit.

After the “Doc Deescalates” skit, “At the Same Time” featuring Mick Jenkins takes a psychedelic trap turn describing their partners loving & hating them simultaneously while “Right Now” featuring Nicki Jupiter could have my favorite beat on the LP produced by Powers Pleasant, colorfully fuses pop rap with trap soul. “Alley” featuring MediSun embraces a bit of a reggae vibe continuing the themes of romance while “Flamingo” featuring Tonye Ayeba embraces a heavier R&B direction stylistically.

“Too Much Ass” talking about being a young entrepreneur trying to get a check & run a business experimenting with a neo-psychedelic trap sound while “P.N.C. (Post-Nut Clarity)” themed around the idea of being mentally reset after sex could be the most awkward moment on Howl at da Moon coming out the gate with a PornHub intro sample. “Uh Oh” meshes soul & gospel singing about his partner fucking but after the “N***a Pop” interlude, “Meow” featuring Benji makes playful feline references over a funky beat.

Starting the album’s final leg, “The Equation / Chuck Town Freestyle” divides itself in 2 halves with an EDM instrumental during the 1st & spitting off-the-top with a cloudy trap beat backing him during the other while “Swim” featuring Chaz French talks about needing more time & patience. “Throwbike” samples a flit & throws some hi-hats in the equation promising he’ll always give things his all while “Howl at the Moonlight” finishes by talking about everything coming with a price as a part of life.

It’s most likely safe to assume at this point that Earth 2 Olu will be more lenient towards an R&B style based on all 3 singles we’ve gotten from Olu these past 8 months & Howl at da Moon on the contrary stays rooted in hip hop telling the story of WowGr8’s life these past 3 & a half decades. Aside from a few lackluster tracks, I do appreciate him being more vulnerable & dramatic than normally compared to both EARTHGANG & Spillage Village’s own output as their own units.

Score: 3.5/5

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BNYX – “Loading…” review

BNYX is a 30 year old producer, songwriter & occasional rapper from Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania mentored by Jean Baptiste & joining the Working on Dying production team known for pioneering tread music. He’s also known for being an extensive collaborator of Yeat, signing to the latter’s Lyfestyle Corporation imprint under Field Trip Recordings & Capitol Records distributed by Universal Music Group. In preparation for his upcoming full-length solo debut Genesis FM, he’s dropping off a taste of what’s to come with a debut EP.

“Room of Smiles” by Dayne Jordan & UHMEER co-produced by BNYX’s brother BEAUTIFULMVN begins by talking about meeting a woman who happens to be incredibly fashionable & once the sample drill-influenced “Telepathy Love” by Clara La San describes a kind of love that feels telepathic hence the title, “Interstellar” by George Clanton & Jahvor finds the pair talking about a man & a woman being unified by yearning for one another.

Fortunately the 2nd half is where things start to pick up, with Johnny Yukon delivering an alternative R&B banger called “Water” hoping the door’s open when comes back once he picks up motion while my favorite track “Proud of Me” by Earl Sweatshirt talks about hoping his mother Cheryl Harris is happy for him, which meant a lot as someone who was around during the Odd Future era in light of Twitter trying to cancel Tyler, The Creator. As for the closer “Switch It” by Yeat & Zukenee, both of them unite for an outro staying more dangerous than ever.

Some of you may remember that I praised BNYX near the end of 2023 as the best mainstream producer of that year & as happy as I am for him getting a label dark, his inaugural EP preluding his upcoming debut LP gives the impression that it could be average at best. I don’t have any complaints in terms of the trap, cloud rap, pop rap & rage production. However, my biggest criticism regarding Loading… is easily the consistency amongst the guest performers & sometimes that tends to be the case with producer albums.

Score: 3/5

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Leon Thomas III – “Pholks” review

This is the 2nd EP from New York singer/songwriter, producer & actor Leon Thomas III. Beginning as the singing voice of Tyrone on The Backyardigans as well as Andre Harris on Victorious for the Paramount Skydance Corporation-owned Nickelodeon, he later started making music of his own by releasing 3 mixtapes & an EP until Ty$ signed him to his Motown Records imprint EZMNY Records. His full-length debut album Electric Dusk & the sophomore effort Mutt were both highly acclaimed, coming off Tycoon last weekend to drop Pholks.

“Just How You Are” starts us off with a peppy single singing about loving that special woman in his life exactly the way she is whereas “My Muse” dedicates itself to the female who stays inspiring him the most over some classy strings. “5MoreMinutes” takes a funkier approach instrumentally singing about being homesick from his lover while “Trapped” expands on the funk influences with a hint of rock added to the mix.

The song “Baccarat” pushes further towards the end of Pholks with Leon fusing rock & soul explaining that he doesn’t ask for much except the attention of this fine-ass walking contradiction while “Feel Alive” sings to be taken away from all of his troubles by a romantic interest he’s been waiting on for a while. “Lone Wolf” featuring 4Batz closes the EP with a successor to “she ain’t no angel” off Still Shinin’ that I like as much if not more than the last collab.

Showcasing his command as a multi-instrumentalist & visionary, Leon Thomas III adventurously doubles down on the raw creativity of Mutt that cemented him his a generational R&B force nearly 13 months ago throughout the duration of Pholks fusing the groove of funk with the golden age of R&B & the raw defiance of classic rock sparking a whole entire movement of it’s own in preparation of his forthcoming 3rd LP presumably dropping next year.

Score: 4/5

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Hannah Jadagu – “Describe” review

Hannah Jadagu is 23 year old indie/bedroom pop artist from Mesquite, Texas introducing herself in the spring of 2021 by signing to Sub Pop Records & putting out her debut EP What’s Going On? to moderate reception followed by the full-length studio debut Aperture roughly 25 months later, receiving more favorable feedback. Teasing a return during the summer, she’s coming off 4 teasers with her official sophomore effort a couple weeks succeeding Flock of Dimes’ greatest album The Life You Save.

The alt-pop title track & final single begins with Hannah singing about trying her best to be the one who never leaves your mind whereas the 3rd single “Gimme Time” blends bedroom pop & indie rock to tackle the struggles of self-discovery & personal growth in a relationship. “More” sings about the emotional toll being physically distant from a lover takes on their relationship over a a dream pop instrumental just before “D.I.A.A. (Do It All Again)” tackles self-reflection & personal growth.

“Perfect” embraces a bedroom pop vibe assuring her lover that their relationship doesn’t have to be exactly flawless prior to the lead single “My Love” combining indie rock, dream pop & shoegaze to sing about the feelings that can arise when you’re apart from someone you love. “Couldn’t Call” begins the 2nd half with what feels like a repetitively penned a cappella interlude while “Tell Me That!!!” sings that she wants to be told that he really want her to be his now.

Starting the concluding act of the LP, we have Hannah fusing bedroom & alt-pop with breakbeat during the 4th single “Normal Today” feeling distracted by a loved one while the 2nd single “Doing Now” swaps out the alt-pop & breakbeat elements in favor of indie rock sings about reluctancy. “Miracles” continues the final moments by expressing her belief in wonders & the closer “Bergamont” sings about the bittersweetness of a love that has since faded away.

Spending a lot of the time trying to figure out how to express ideas that aren’t always so concrete & searching is for the words to describe the truth on Hannah Jadagu’s terms whilst relishing in the uncertainty in that journey, Describe embraces an expansive shift toward a heavier alt-pop & bedroom pop sound compared to prominently indie/dream stylings of her debut although the dream pop influences are being used to a lesser extent & the indie rock undertones of Aperture are being maintained well enough too conceptually based on her learning the hard way that distance is relative.

Score: 3.5/5

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Halle – “love?…or something like it” review

Halle is a 25 year old singer/songwriter & actress from Atlanta, Georgia notable for being 1/2 of Chloe x Halle with her older sister Chlöe. Signing to Beyoncé’s very own Columbia Records imprint Parkwood Entertainment a decade earlier, they would put out 2 full-lengths together until taking a hiatus to focus on their solo careers. Chlöe’s sophomore effort Trouble in Paradise came out 24 months ago to warmer reception than In Pieces & the time has finally come for her eldest sibling to make her official solo debut.

After the intro, the first song “overtime” truly begins with Halle singing about having men putting in extra hours & not trusting anyone because of her ex-partner DDG whereas “know bout me” featuring Glorilla takes the trap soul route instrumentally admitting that neither of them are innocent. “his type” sings about a man who makes her feel secure & on top of the world leading into “heaven” produced by Bongo asking if her new man can go to the pearly gates with her.

Mariah the Scientist appears on “alone” immediately after an interlude singing about working by themselves following the confirmation from Young Thug that Mariah recently broke up with him recently the Valentine’s Day single “back & forth” admits to liking it when her partner gets angry in light of her & DDG’s custody battle over their son Halo. Another single “braveface” reflects where she’s at in her life from a mental standpoint now that she’s a mother while “so I can feel again” by Chloe x Halle reunites the siblings for a sultry duet.

“in your hands” works in some pianos & electric guitars describing a couple with a deep connection between one another while “no warning” featuring H.E.R. sings about their enjoyment of driving their lovers crazy & making them feel afraid. “bite your lip” yearns to be held for an evening over a Dem Jointz & Blu2th beat and after “Angel” sings about the beauty of African American women on top of a Neff-U instrumental, “because I love you” finishes with an ode to the people there for her at her worst.

In the midst of her restraining order against DDG being extended to early next month, Halle’s long-awaited introduction as a solo artist cohesively tells a story of first love as well as the heartbreak & everything that comes afterwards culminating in self-discovery. Assuring that it’s perfectly normal to pour so much of yourself into someone as long as people are giving that same love back to themselves, the star of The Little Mermaid remake meshes her jazz & trap influences with R&B/pop sensibilities for the most intimate work of her career.

Score: 3.5/5

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Daniel Caesar – “Son of Spergy” review

Daniel Caesar is a 30 year old singer/songwriter from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada releasing his first few EPs Birds of Paradise as well as Praise Break & Pilgrim’s Paradise followed by his independently released debut Freudian through his own imprint Golden Child Recordings & a moderate sophomore effort Case Study 01 although “Frontal Lobe Muzik” remains a hidden gem. His previous album Never Enough marked his major label debut under Republic Records to widespread acclaim & his 4th studio LP looks to do the same.

Sampha joins Daniel for the gospel intro “Rain Down” asking for God to pour his blessings all over them whereas the singer/songwriter & neo-soul lead single “Have a Baby (With Me)” additionally pulls from smooth soul singing about impregnation. The next single “Call on Me” blends psychedelic neo-soul & indie rock advising to call him if one needs help getting by while “Baby Blue” featuring his father Norwill Simmons sings about his relationship with God.

“Root of All Evil” continues the heavy religious themes referencing 1 Timothy 6:10 just before “Who Knows?” reaches the halfway point singing about feeling like a total coward hiding in a disguise. The final single “Moon / Violence” featuring Bon Iver eclectically pulls from indie folk, psychedelic soul, singer/songwriter, bedroom pop, smooth soul & psychedelic folk asking who’s gonna be their Jesus while the bedroom pop inspired “Touching God” confesses to the feeling of worthlessness without the fame.

Nearing Son of Spergy‘s conclusion, Sign of the Times” sings that he’s stronger now than he ever was & remembering Frank Ocean’s brother Ryan Breaux who lost his life in a car accident while “Emily’s Song” dedicates itself to his ex-girlfriend that he was seeing in the late 2010s thanking her for helping him see clearer. “No More Loving (On Women I Don’t Love)” feels more like a 646yf4t track since his brother’s taking up a good chunk of it vocally contradicting the “Who Knows?” outro & “Sins of the Father” featuring Bon Iver closes Daniel’s 2nd major label project with a 2-parter singing about his relationship with his biological father & God.

Inspired by a reconciliation between himself & his own parents, Daniel Caesar embraces a prominent singer/songwriter & bedroom pop direction compared to Never Enough‘s heavy lenience towards contemporary R&B & neo-soul resulting in his most stripped-back body of work. You’re still getting hints of those previously mentioned styles to a lesser extent on Son of Purgy & it’s predecessor’s psychedelic/smooth soul undertones, but the alternative R&B elements get phased out in favor of indie folk & gospel tackling themes of masculinity along with faith & self-importance.

Score: 4/5

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Ian – “2005” review

St. Louis, Missouri rapper/producer Ian is back after 12 whole months for his sophomore effort, 5th EP or debut mixtape. A member of the D1shonorable collective, he got his start in 2019 producing the single “Know That” by Izaya Tiji before going on to release 3 EPs of his own: Only for a While, Remembrance & the gyo-produced Empty Suit. Akon’s brother Bu Thiam signed him to his Columbia Records imprint Buvision Entertainment this spring for his previous EP Valedictorian, which received mixed responses although I personally found to have it’s highlights like “Chauncey” & “Magic Johnson”. Goodbye Horses even had its own highs like “3.5” or “Out West”, surprise-releasing 2005 only 53 weeks later.

We get some colorfully peppy synthesizers during the intro “Go Ian” taking a boastful approach to the lyrics feeling like that people have a bad impression on him ever since signing to a major label whereas the rage-inducing “Aw Shit” talks about keeping it 100 even if he isn’t perfect. The self-produced “You Told Me” reserves the drums for the final minute or so not making any plans because he’s vibing while the mediocre trap/pop rap single “I Ain’t Coming Back” prior to the Bhad Bhabie interlude talks about being good all by himself, having a lot of questions for his ex-girlfriend & even more for her mother.

“Talk About It” brings the synths back in effect thanks to Internet Money Records in-house producer NASH so he can reflect over a relationship prior to “Remember Me” continuing to delve deeper into the topic of love accompanied by a piano instrumental. “Have My Back” proves a comparison Tyler, The Creator had made between Ian & Future clear as day, although “Soul Provider” produced by FNZ could be his most emotional track ever & “Friends from Everywhere” ends with Ian shouting out his homies all around the world.

Serving as a prelude to Valedictorian 2 coming out a couple months ago as revealed via an Easter egg in the artwork, 2005 finds Ian returning behind the boards since he didn’t produce anything on the original Valedictorian or Goodbye Horses & I can appreciate that to the highest extent because Ian can be likened to ΠΔV in the sense that I enjoy his production work more than a good chunk of the major label material. Will he capitalize on his production skills more a couple months from now? Only time will tell.

Score: 2.5/5

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