This is the 2nd EP from Roanoke, Alabama rapper Durkalini. Introducing himself in the trap scene over a year ago off his last EP 4000 Degrees, he continued to push himself in the forefront by releasing a couple mixtapes Pyro the Pastor & Pilgrimage last fall. After taking a 9-month break, lini’s taking us to Church & Surf teaming up with the remaining producer members of the Surf Gang collective so they can help make it the most well-rounded offering in his discography

“Freaks Out” produced by Evilgiane, Eera & even Goner right before he departed the Surf Gang only recently starts the sermon on some plugg shit talking about being out all night when the freaks come out whereas “Rather Be Safe 2” works in an orchestral backdrop & hi-hats thanks to Harrison preferring to be safe than sorry. “Green Card” brings the plugg vibes back asking where the fuck your card is again while “Objection” has a fuzzier trap flare to talk about every day being the weekend.

The cloudier aesthetics of “Soho” are a nice touch referencing the titular shopping destination in New York south of Houston Street in Manhattan leading into Giane & Graham Perez providing “Alligator” with an atmospheric sound feeling like it’s a holy matrimony the way Durkalini be married to this shit. “Bottega Boots” has more of a rich trap groove flexing the designer footwear copped from Bottega Veneta, but then “Damn Huh” hooks up an organ & hi-hats knowing he gon’ race the pigs.

“Guinness” pushes towards the encore of Church & Surf talking about being unable to buy new guns since he’s a bandit, staying on the corner although he can’t give no directions, not stopping at red lights since he already got a ticket anyway & the fact that they don’t teach us shit in school still tryna give people in the streets a sentence while “Cartier Wires” finishes the EP on a peppy cloud rap note boasting that his pockets are loaded & broke bitches being the very last thing he’s thinking about.

Surf Gang’s been on a crazy production team run since Pasto Flocco, Polo Perks, Moh Baretta & pretty much all the other former vocalists in the crew departed to focus on their solo careers and Church & Surf joins Matt Ox’s 4th EP OXygen as the best of the 5 EPs they’ve laced in the last 10 months. The production’s more consistent than lini’s past material & the Alabama up-&-comer lets new listeners in as to who he is.

Score: 4/5

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