Dylan Brady – “Needle Guy” review

St. Louis, Missouri singer/songwriter & producer Dylan Brady dropping his 5th extended play under his own imprint Dog Show Records in tandem with Atlantic Records. Known for being 1/2 of 100 gecs, he would eventually carve a path of his own by releasing Saxophone Joe & Taste the Rainbow as well as the full-length debut All I Ever Wanted & Choker respectively. Dog Show would eventually catch the attention of Mad Decent, whom Dylan signed to for his previous EP Peace & Love. 8 years later, the Needle Guy ready to make his major label debut.

“Throat Song” co-produced by Skrillex kicks things off with the weakest composition of the bunch due to how repetitive it mostly is with the central Asian throat singing whereas “Stay High” could be my favorite instrumental here, leaning heavier towards the festival progressive house side of things. “Ashley” embraces a Dutch house vibe decently remixing the Afrojack single “Ashley” while the title track finishes with Dylan blending dubstep, tearout & hard techno

Peace & Love almost a decade later has been widely considered to be the finest entry of Dylan Brady’s solo career, but Needle Guy returns to the averageness a lot of his individual output tends to suffer from. His production’s more catered towards the sounds of hardgroove techno, tearout, Dutch house, festival progressive house & tribal house than it’s hyperpop & alternative R&B predecessor except it isn’t as groundbreaking for those styles of electronic dance music than I would’ve hoped.

Score: 2.5/5

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KiD CuDi – “Have U BN 2 Heaven @ Nite?” review

Brand new extended play from Cleveland, Ohio rapper, singer/songwriter, producer, actor, fashion designer, model, director & filmmaker KiD CuDi. Blowing up in 2008 off his debut mixtape A KiD Named CuDi as well as his songwriting credits on his mentor Ye formerly known as Kanye West’s 4th album 808s & Heartbreak, his profile from there would increasingly grow off his groundbreaking debut & sophomore albums Man on the Moon: The End of the Day & Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. But following the self-produced & overlooked Indicud, CuDi would leave G.O.O.D. Music amicably to form his own Republic Records imprint Wicked Awesome Records. Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon though was mediocre at best & who could forget when CuDi attempted to go alt-rock on the critically panned Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven? Luckily he would redeem himself on his next effort Pain & Demon Slayin’ in 2016 along with the self-titled album from him & Ye as the duo KIDS SEE GHOSTS couple summers later & even Man on the Moon III: The Chosen the day after my 24th birthday despite it’s blatantly heavy Travis Scott influence. Entergalactic was released mixed reviews as was INSANO, but I enjoyed how both LPs took it back to his roots along with mixing old & new sounds together respectively. INSANO 2: NITRO MEGA continued the energy of its predecessor. Free came out last summer & found myself disappointed by it although I appreciate him going for a poppier sound, posing the question of Have U BN 2 Heaven @ Nite? a month after Trey Miguel defeated Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo to become the new TNA International Champion.

“Real Ones Never Die” starts us off with some wavy synthesizers & acoustics remind us all of the legitimate lasting for eternity whereas “Drown” produced by BNYX of Working on Dying goes full pop rock singing about an evil awaiting him. “Halos & Angels” reunites with his WZRD cohort Dot da Genius blending neo-psychedelia & alternative R&B looking to get his mind right while “Ride Ride” ends with a peacefully climatic outro he self-produced culminating in the styles of alternative R&B, neo-psychedelia & pop rap.

75% of this EP was already released as singles & considering that all 3 of them were bangers to me anyway, I knew I’d come away from Have U BN 2 Heaven @ Nite? enjoying it more than Free & it makes me anticipate his upcoming 12th album more than I initially was prior to listening to this although I’d love for BNYX to do an entire project with him eventually. The production’s a huge improvement above the latter album mixing alternative R&B, neo-psychedelia, pop rap & pop rock capturing his range as an artist rather than sticking to 1 particular sound & we get a look at where he is now that he’s no longer on a major label.

Score: 3.5/5

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SHVMIRE – “Eyes Wide Shut” review

This is the 4th extended play from Brooklyn, New York emcee/producer SHVMIRE. Dropping his debut EP 333 ❤ as well as a full-length debut Reclusive Poet he primarily self-produced and the Saxophones & Sex EP in 2024, he would eventually make his return this past Christmas Eve releasing his previous EP Grinch’n. Almost 3 months later, he’s continuing to take a backseat behind the boards & tell more stories of the masked hooded figure with a blue face & a closed yellow eye named ANU by putting out Eyes Wide Shut.

“Broadway & Canal St.” begins with this drumlessly jazzy beat explaining that everyone having the right to brag because it’s all facts whereas “Fidelio” featuring Nuemoney718 soulfully talks about what happens when pussy’s at stake. “Black Gatsby” chops up more chipmunk soul samples suggesting that everyone listening finds their passion while “Press Play” featuring Action Figure 973 talks about how shit gets real in the east coast.

Nuemoney returns for “The Shining” using proper grammar to speak of money continuing to rely on sampling instrumentally & “Mota y Platanos” also featuring Nuemoney references the current 4-time TNA World Tag Team Champion, 2-time HoG Tag Team Champion & the inaugural 4th Rope World Tag Team Champion Jeff Hardy. “Auntie Margaret’s Soul Food” soulfully talks about how he’s only warming up while “Uncle Elroy’s Pie” welcomes anyone looking for a fix to his humble spot.

“Broken Mirrors” winds down Eyes Wide Shut’s last few moments clarifying that he’s in his 4th season who’s still commencing his reclusive style of hip hop rather than being a rookie & the beat feels like something out of a improvised jazz band session while “Follow the Light” is ties it all up with this celebratory closer firing off rapid flows talking about him thinking in double time these days & that he’s closer to God after stepping towards this brightness he’s referring to.

Known for blending gritty hip hop with jazz-influenced textures & surreal film-like energy, Eyes Wide Shut leans fully into that vision by pairing music with darkly immersive visuals inspired by secrecy as well as power & hidden worlds. The end result is SHVMIRE’s greatest solo material thus far. He uses ANU as both an alter ego much like what one of my top 10 producers of all-time Madlib has previously done with Quasimoto & a storytelling device where everything connects, which is exemplified by the cohesive transitions.

Score: 4/5

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The Horde – “Rydas Rebels: Gone Rogue” review

Southern horrorcore superduo The Horde consisting of Boondox & Bukshot are back with a new extended play. One hailing from Covington, Georgia signing to the Insane Clown Posse’s own Psychopathic Records in the mid-late 2000s & the other puttin’ it down for Louisville, Kentucky since ‘97 by founding the independent hip hop label Mobstyle Music. The pair started worked with each other for over a decade now continuing to do so after the scarecrow left PSY to form his very own Krimson Crow Entertainment following his 4th album Abaddon eventually signing to Majik Ninja Entertainment couple years later whether it be their first 2 mixtapes Hell’s Kitchen & Paradigm Shift as well as their debut EP Overdrive or even their work with Claas as The Underground Avengers. Their debut album The End is Nigh celebrates its 3-year anniversary in a few days, coming off Paradigm Sync! to declare that a couple of Rydas Rebels have Gone Rogue a couple weeks after The Irresistible Forces became the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

“Mobsta Party” featuring Zodiac MPrint brings all 4 of them together freestyling over the instrumental of the classic 2Pac single “2 of Amerika’z Most Wanted” featuring WWE Hall of Famer & current Death Row Records owner Snoop Dogg whereas “Headshots” featuring Siamese Goat God takes a funkier approach to the beat spitting that gangsta shit. After “In Tha Mud” & “Bout It” freestyle over “In da Club” by 50 Cent & I’m Bout It, Bout It” by Master P featuring Mia X respectively, “True to the Way” featuring St8jaket & 9 Millz ends with them freestyling over “Forgot About Dre” by Dr. Dre featuring Eminem.

If you’re familiar with the Psychopathic Rydas’ output back when Boondox was signed to the label that runs beneath the streets with the Eastside Ninjas, then you should probably know what you’re getting yourself into with Rydas Rebels: Gone Rogue & would argue at it’s on par with that 1-off Rydas album that MNE dropped at the beginning of 2020 in terms of averageness. Boondox & Bukshot continue the gangsta rap themes of Paradigm Sync! except that the guest list isn’t all that impressive & the beats they’re rapping over make me wanna listen to the original versions of them.

Score: 2.5/5

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Mickey Factz – “The Plague” review

Mickey Factz is a 33 year old MC/producer from The Bronx, New York who broke out 2 decades ago off his debut mixtape In Search of the N*E*R*D. He would go on to drop 14 more tapes until Nottz produced his full-length debut The Achievement: Circa ‘82 under Soulspazm Records celebrating it’s 10-year anniversary this fall, dropping a few more full-lengths & mixtapes afterwards. Coming off 1 Above All & the Tru Crime trilogy of disses directed at Tru Life however, he’s returning for his 4th EP.

“Verbalize” hops over a gritty rap rock instrumental dissing Aye Verb whereas “Shutter Island” goes for a jazzier boom bap vibe explaining how much of an issue mental health is today, hoping those who need help see a psychiatrist. “Ong Bak” works in more guitars mixed with kicks & snares talking about leaving this kinfolk with grievances just before “Letter from Hitman” hops over another boom bap beat reading a message Hitman Holla sent him.

The song “All Set” continues the 2nd half of The Plague on some soulfully dusty shit talking about setting his sights on becoming the MVP leading into the celebratory “Accolades” suggesting that he should let every accomplishment over the course of his career speak for themselves. “Genesis 3:14” spends the last 3 & a half minutes speaking directly to Aye Verb, wanting him to know that he believes he’s struggling with mental health issues & hopes the dude gets the help he truly needs.

Some people may know this guy for beefing with the likes of Wale or former Slaughterhouse members Joe Budden & Royce da 5’9”, but Mickey Factz dedicates The Plague to taking shots at Aye Verb & it makes for some of his most enjoyable material that I’ve heard from him in years. Even if the production isn’t necessarily the best as far as boom bap goes, Mickey’s disses towards Aye Verb all transition into 1 another cohesively & makes the extended play feel like 27 minute diatribe sticking to battle rap’s traditions.

Score: 3.5/5

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The Musalini & Smoke DZA – “Uptown Saturday Night” review

Brand new collaborative EP from Manhattan, New York emcees The Musalini & Smoke DZA. One of whom has been putting it down for over a decade dating back to when I was in high school & the other has been making waves for the past 6 years, signing to Jamla Records at the beginning of 2022. These guys have crossed paths with each other on a couple of tracks over the years like “Multiple” & “On the Go”, so the idea of them spending an Uptown Saturday Night together & bringing a couple other artists along for the ride didn’t seem too bad on paper.

“Respect Money Power” hops over a luxurious boom bap instrumental to talk about the world being theirs & burning flower whereas “Blues” featuring Fuego Base finds the trio over a jazzier beat so they can discuss counting up $100 bills. “Mack 10” goes for a rap rock vibe instrumentally admitting that all this money on their minds is fucking up their heads just before “Let’s Talk Money” ends the 1st leg of the EP by wanting to discuss finances.

To get the 2nd half going, “Stash House” blends a string sample with some kicks & snares encouraging everyone to peep the scenery while “Bread-Winners” featuring Lord Cartel marks my least favorite guest appearance of the 3 despite the themes & continuation of the previous track’s symphonic spin on the traditional boom bap sound. “Horses & Bourbons” by Mu$ featuring John Dutch finds the pair talking about going on a run & not referring to court when they say that while “Eye of the Storm” concludes with them living by the code since everything has a limit.

Being a fan of Smoke DZA since my adolescence & getting put onto The Musalini when he was wrapping up his tenure at TCF Music Group, the idea of them joining forces for Uptown Saturday Night had me wondering if it could reach the same level of quality the Choose or Lose collab EP that Mu$ did with Wais P & Statik Selektah last fall. And although I prefer the latter, fans of both MCs will get a kick out of this extended play. Could’ve done without a couple of the guests, but DZA & Mu$ do a fine job of flowing off each other well over John Dutch’s production.

Score: 3.5/5

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Lice – “Miami Lice: Season 4” review

This is the surprise 4th extended play from New York abstract hip hop superduo Lice. Consisting of Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman, both highly revered wordsmiths in their own fields would make their eponymous debut together in the fall of 2015 under Stones Throw Records & followed it up with the sequel Still Buggin’ a year later through Rhymesayers Entertainment. Next summer will be a whole decade since they’ve dropped their last EP Triple Fat Lice, making a comeback by presenting season 4 of Miami Lice.

“Who Sent You?” begins with both of them spitting abstract verses over a bass guitar from Aesop Rock himself whereas “Uh-Oh” takes the boom bap route instrumental working in some sampling talking about the muzzle being warm for those claiming they don’t want trouble with them. “Moving Day” hooks the kicks & snares back up so both of them can get abstractly hardcore for a couple minutes leading into “Burnt Mauve” cavernously trading the mic back-&-forth with each other

To get the other half of the EP going, “The 1” embraces a funkier boom bap vibe talking about the kind of artists they‘ve become known for while “Homework” replaces the funk elements with electronic music suggesting for everyone to do their research on them if they don’t know who they’re fucking with by now. “The Burgers” puts a more conscious spin on the abstract penmanship that’ve defined their whole style while “Evolution” sends it all off on an experimentally drumless note talking about having days that’re both good & bad

I’ve already been anticipating Elucid’s upcoming 5th album albeit Rhymesayers debut I Guess U Had to Be There produced by Sebb Bash this weekend, but Miami Lice reunites Homeboy Sandman & Aesop Rock after 9 whole years of focusing towards their own solo endeavors for the EP that I’ve always wanted them to make ever since their formation. Aesop solely handling the production on this one was a smart move considering how experimental I Heard It’s a Mess There Too was this past Halloween, soundtracking their abstract synergies meticulously.

Score: 4.5/5

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waterbaby – “Memory Be a Blade” review

Kendra Egerbladh a.k.a. waterbaby is a 28 year old singer/songwriter from Stockholm, Sweden whom the Seattle, Washington indie label Sub Pop Records signed in the summer of 2023. Her debut extended play Foam followed right away later & left a great deal of listeners divided, although I could see the artistic potential she had fusing alt-pop as well as bedroom pop & alternative R&B. She has since released half of her 2nd EP as singles between last May & the previous month, looking to outdo herself nearly 33 months afterwards.

We get some pianos all over the intro “Sink” singing about the steady waters asking her to either leave or believe whereas the title track blends chamber pop, bedroom pop & bossa nova expresses her desire to be seen as someone worthy. “Clay” featuring her brother ttoh combines art pop, chamber pop, chamber folk, folktronica & bedroom pop to look back at a past break-up while “Beck n Call” also featuring ttoh fuses sophisti-pop, bedroom pop, jazz pop, pop rap & neo-soul so they can talk about their hearts being on lock.

“Minnie” starts the 2nd half of Memory Be a Blade by incorporating some strings singing about not wanting to disappoint all the people she made into believers just before “Minnie Too” goes for a jazzier vibe yearning to get away. The art rock, chamber pop, indie folk, neo-psychedelia, folk rock & post-Britpop lead single “Amiss” asks all sorts of questions regarding love while “Srs Ice” finishes the EP suggesting that she should build an attic inside of her own mind over some horns.

Even I would say Foam was a pretty average alt-pop/bedroom pop EP when it dropped a few summers ago, but the teasers building up towards Memory Be a Blade had me hoping waterbaby would display some artistic growth & I hope she capitalizes that whenever her debut album comes. The production’s noticeably darker take on the styles of chamber pop, bedroom pop, bossa nova, art pop, chamber folk, folktronica, sophisti-pop, jazz pop, pop rap, neo-soul, indie folk, neo-psychedelia, folk rock & post-Britpop improving her songwriting by using a previous breakup as a base to make the lyrics hit deeper.

Score: 3.5/5

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Flying Lotus – “Big Mama” review

Flying Lotus is a 42 year old producer, DJ, rapper, songwriter & filmmaker from Los Angeles, California who made his debut 2 decades earlier with the positively received 1983. He would later sign to Warp Records, dropping a string of acclaimed follow-ups from Los Angeles & Cosmogramma to Until the Quiet Comes & You’re Dead! throughout the course of my adolescence. Of course I’d be remised to forget the underrated DU∆LITY mixtape he dropped under the Captain Murphy alias. Flamagra in the spring of 2019 was the last time we heard FlyLo secularly, coming off the Yasuke & Ash soundtracks to drop his 7th extended play through his own label Brainfeeder Records in tandem with Ninja Tune.

The title track begins with this 36 second intro that will likely be used during an [adult swim] bumper at some point within the near future whereas “Captain Kernel” goes for a glitchier vibe instrumentally working in some additional synthesizers. “Antelope Onigri” throws it back to the IDM sound that defined Los Angeles & Cosmogramma over a decade earlier leading into “In the Forest: Day” hooking up some psychedelic synth melodies that feel like an acid trip.

“Brobobasher” continues the final leg of Big Mama blending elements of drum & bass as well as glitch and house music for almost a couple minutes while “Horse Nuke” starts off by heading for an ambient direction for the opening minute or so until combining IDM, wonky & techno for the remaining 102 seconds. “Pink Dream” however sends off the EP by cooking up an animated beat that would remind some people of the 3rd generation of video games 4 decades earlier.

Considering that he’s signed a handful of artists I’ve liked in the past such as Kamasi Washington or Hiatus Kaiyote & Thundercat, it makes me happy to hear Flying Lotus making an independent return to his electronic roots over the course of Big Mama’s brief runtime & only a month away from Distracted. His production takes an experimentally maximalist approach to IDM, glitch hop, wonky, glitch, nu jazz, ambient, chiptune, drum & bass & techno almost like a machine malfunctioning right in front of our very eyes.

Score: 4/5

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Jae Skeese – “The Good Part” review

Here is the 5th extended play from Buffalo, New York emcee Jae Skeese. Starting in 2010 off his debut mixtape W.A.C.K. (Women, Alcohol, Cash & Kicks), it wasn’t until a decade later where he & 7xvethegenius gained wide exposure as the very first signees to Conway the Machine’s very own Drumwork Music Group. The Big Ghost Ltd.-produced 3rd EP Authenticity Check & the sophomore effort Abolished Uncertainties both elevated Skeese’s popularity in the last couple years. Coming off the Superior-produced Testament of the Times & elevating from Ground Level though, Ill Tone’s producing The Good Part succeeding 40 Hours.

“Paralysis” chops up a soul sample to get things going talking about feeling like nobody’s above him whereas “Accelerant” featuring Conway the Machine & Stove God Cook$ finds the trio aggressively going at the throats of those who got the game wrong. “Curt Menafee” featuring Cory Gunz goes for a summery direction instrumentally talking about putting it all on the line leading into “S.W.G.M. (See It, Want It, Got It, Mines)” end the 1st half by speaking of taking what’s his.

Fuego Base & Sule appear on “Raiden” kicking off the 2nd leg with all 3 of them aggressively talking about wanting the finer things closer in reach just before “Worldwide” featuring Talib Kweli & T.F links up so they can discuss how far they wanna take it musically. “Mua” hops over a victorious beat to talk about getting his cake up & winning in the biggest ways while “No After No” featuring Brother Tom Sos & Consequence finishes with each artist explaining that they never stopped chasing their goals after being counted out.

I completely understood what Jae Skeese was doing trying give lesser known local artists a bigger platform although I’m still on the fence with that EP over an entire year later, but The Good Part has to be my personal favorite project of his since Testament of the Times. From the penmanship to the higher profile guest appearances & Ill Tone’s production, it’s already been implied that they’re gonna make an entire series out of this & this inaugural entry checks off every box regarding why they should.

Score: 4.5/5

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