Houston, TEXAS, USAWho would’ve known that Astrokeyy would drop a seamlessly smooth album? IYCM did! He’s taken off running with a full-bodied lyrical exercise titled 'Get Familiar'. Mixing gritty beats with insightful lyricism, Astrokeyy brings a fresh perspective to the rap scene. The album kicks off with a captivating intro that sets the vibe—you'll feel at ease, but be ready for Astrokeyy to command your attention. He holds nothing back on this eight-track project. Every verse is packed with clever wordplay, crystal-clear delivery, and captivating storytelling, giving listeners a peek into his world as he explores themes of ambition, hustle, and self-discovery. From Combination Rice to Godlee Freestyle, featuring Bubu the Prince, this body of work is hard and hectic! “I started this project at the end of last year. It was a longer process than usual due to my being on the lookout for the right engineer to work with. I ultimately ended up with the homie JahleelFaReal. The influence of the body work came from just letting it be known that I’m still on plan A, and that’s to make my mark in hip-hop. Letting people know to 'Get Familiar' because I’m not going anywhere.” - Astrokey Get Familiar shines with its infectious rhythm and layered sound. The beats blend classic boom bap elements with West Coast Funk; there's a seamless mix of bass-heavy dips and catchy hooks that create a sonic landscape that emphasizes Astrokeyy's skills, served with creative aggression and some killer features. Texas showed ya'll how it's done. “It was a collective process of different producers, whether they sent me beats or I sat down with them in the studio to create them. The inspiration was purely off the vibes at the time.” - Astrokeyy Astrokeyy is coming in HOT as he blazes his own trail in this industry. Since Get Familiar dropped, he has also released a follow-up project titled ‘Smell The Flowers’. If you enjoyed Get Familiar, then you’ll definitely enjoy this EP. For now, it's best you keep your eyes on Astrokeyy and give our favourite track from Get Familiar a spin below.
0 Comments
SYDNEY, AUStart your week with an abundance of energy by listening to Tom Fublè's Dancing In The Rain! Don't get it twisted; don't be misled. While this tune feels upbeat and full of joyous moments, it's entangled with an emotional outpouring of atmospheric day dreaming that focuses on life's transits. Tom Fublè plays with instrumental and lyrical polarity, and man, oh man, is it pleasantly addictive. Dancing In The Rain starts off with gentle, beachy guitar loops that slowly build up to an audio adventure. Tom paints a picturesque description of his thoughts and emotions across this pop-indie soundscape; it's a hike of sensations from feeling lost to found to leaving the past behind and welcoming in new opportunities, from fear to strength. "I originally wrote Dancing In The Rain right before I went traveling. I drew inspiration from my own life and how I had left my career as a lawyer behind in pursuit of freedom and to find my passion in life. On one hand, it is a simple travel love song; on the other hand, it is the story of how I became an artist. Dancing In The Rain serves as an anthem for those yearning for a change. The song captures the essence of life's ups and downs while metaphorically encouraging individuals to discover their true passion, rain or shine." - Tom Fublè The production is radiant, as Tom Fublè wanted to bring his inner positivity to light through each chord and create an array of high-energy sounds. "Sonically, I wanted to capture the essence of traveling and adventure in Dancing In The Rain. I originally wrote the track as a piano ballad, but I felt a more upbeat production was necessary to capture the vibe. I drew inspiration from EDM producers like Avicii and Kygo and also pop duo Neeka to craft an upbeat, summery, and surfy sound. For the production, I focused on warm, bright samples that would seamlessly blend elements of pop and EDM, featuring a 4/4 house beat, pitch-bending synths simulating electric guitars, and clean pop vocals that create a captivating fusion of genres." - Tom Fublè Tom Fublè has a plate full of upcoming shows and an EP titled War & Art, which is scheduled for release soon. The EP promises to delve into the narrative of a revolution, exploring themes like the cycle of life, chaos, war, freedom, and creativity—so strap in for the ride of your life and hit the official IYCM playlist to listen to Dancing In The Rain. East London, UKZino Vinci doesn't slip, skip, or stutter; he slides in with flow, sings in smooth and effortlessly switches into multiple-tier tones on his phenomenal track, Jeff. His cadence is polished to perfection, and listeners will be hooked on his style after the first verse. It's bold to say, but Zino is carrying the East ends on his back! East London, where you at?! Jeff spills over in mysterious, audible alchemy, honest storytelling, and bubbles with vulnerability. Zino Vinci channels his energy into raw back-and-forth delivery through the creation of characters, giving emphasis to his experience. It's when the past meets the present that it shines a light on how impactful it could be if guidance filled the shoes that walked the earth. Maybe the reassurance for the journey ahead would make the path slightly lighter and brighter. "The concept behind the song Jeff is quite different from the other songs, the themes and sonics are similar, but the concept is very different. Essentially, the song is about me going back in time and talking to a younger version of myself, basically telling myself that through all the hardships and pain, I will never be anything other than myself. 'One more shot at love, more is all it takes; please stay focused on my face' is essentially me trying to show my younger self that eventually it works out, that I shouldn’t get distracted with things I think will make people like me more, or that don’t serve me. The love I gain as a young man is all due to me staying true to myself and being me 100% of the time. People love me for me, and the feeling is mutual." - Zino Vinci The 169 production steers Jeff all the way home; it doesn't overpower the narrative, nor does it distract from Zino's message. Producer 169 created a harmonious hip-hop backdrop for Zino to lay it down. It's safe to say Zino Vinci saved the best for last since Jeff is the closing track from his long-awaited EP 'Filfthy and Disgusted', and if you thought that was all he had, think again, as his latest release, TFL Blues, is out now! Spin Jeff below, and keep Zino Vinci on your radar. Nashville, TN, USAShooting hot pockets of highly conscious content like fire crackers, Geronimo Flair proves he’s worthy of the title as he breaks through multiple musical surfaces, in particular with this third eye-ascending joint, ‘Rambling (Again)’. Geronimo Flair’s flow is ridiculous, his pen game is meticulous, and the experience of Rambling (Again) is wrapped up in a bow of prolificness. The playback value runs high; at this point, do yourself a favour and utilise the song loop button, because this is one of those back-track to catch-that type of creations. Geronimo Flair humbly flaunts his creative intelligence with every bar; his dynamic cadence fits perfectly with polished, resonate tones. Rambling (Again) parades in crisp delivery as Geronimo confidently pulls back the shadowy drapes and exposes a reality many may refuse to acknowledge. There’s an impact, potent, with awareness of self and society! “Rambling (Again) is a vivid picture of a plethora of subjects. One strong verse, no hook, but full of replay value. My inspiration for the lyrics came from being stagnant in life and wanting to move forward, but my focus was broken by my ADHD and tendency to try and multitask." - Geronimo Flair The production by $hrames is energising. There’s an element of ease between the instrumentals and voice; the two blend nicely while audibly ascending throughout the Boom Bap track. There’s a classic feel at play. "I’m not exactly sure where $hrames got his inspiration for the instrumental, but I know we were going for more of a boom-bap sound that I could just spit over." - Geronimo Flair There’s a lot of releases to enjoy, and even more in the vault that is yet to surface, which calls for close monitoring for Geronimo Flair’s next drop! If you love Rambling (Again) hit the button below to add it to your listening rotation. South AfricaStarting with a simple string of guitar chords, gentle tempo, and sweetly deep vocals that blaze with bass and emotive tones, If you/I knew is the joint that'll have you enveloped in introspection, submerged in affection, and taking in the lessons. Thakgalo Monawa delivers it all with a hint of desire and a fire pit of despair. If you/I knew sonically dives into a split of feelings, there's an element of longing, nostalgia, and a potential resolution that's met with regret, distance, and resentment. The two energies delicately dance around each other throughout the song, and Thakgalo Monawa serves a melodic consistency that creates an intentional barrier within the tune, playing on the theme of wishful thinking and needing change; it's giving a subtle salute to Aaliyah's We Need a Resolution and ends on indecision. "I broke the song down into two related narratives. In the first verse, you get to know about things I wish the significant other knew while we were in a relationship. In the second verse, I talk about the things I wish I knew while I was in a relationship, followed by how I would’ve wished for the significant other to have felt how I felt. The chorus talks about how I can’t keep going back and forth on a situation that was stagnant and that one of us will have to change in order to move forward." - Thakgalo Monawa Producer LYKO hit an era rewind on the instrumentals and channelled classic Old School R'n'b, giving If you/I knew the perfect soundscape for this emotional release. "I’ve always been in love with the 90s R&B style because I grew up listening to those a lot. I always knew how I wanted the song to sound, so I went all over looking for a good producer, and that’s when I found LYKO, who executed that beautifully." - Thakgalo Monawa 2024 is yet to see a new release from Thakgalo Monawa, and only time will tell when the next drop will lift off, so in the meantime, connect with If you/I knew below on the IYCM Spotify rotation. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIAKara Bree enters the earthly realms with ethereal vocals, a touch of sweetness, and a deliverance in the form of a full R’N’B experience with the track Water Fairy. Water Fairy is a mesmerizing auditory journey overflowing with introspection and enchantment. It begins with a gentle cascade of harp strokes, instantly setting a dreamy atmosphere that feels both familiar and otherworldly. She glides through each verse, exposing her sensitivity and sending listeners on an audible vacation. Kara Bree strips down to emotional nakedness, allowing delicate vocal intricacies to take center stage. As the song name insinuates, there’s an engulfment of fantasy in her writing and singing that meets reality; thoughts meet feelings; her words have found a place to reside. There is a multi-faceted element at play with hopeful love, self-love, and unhealthy love. “I wrote this at quite a vulnerable time, though; it's kind of like I was having a fight with my mind. I wanted to say things but knew I couldn't say them, so I wrote them instead. A conversation with my emotions. It was definitely a moment of frustration from me and 'her'. My feelings were really raw; I was craving certain moments. There were things I wanted to say, but I knew I couldn't. I guess I thought to myself, Let's just write a pretty sex song instead. My mind is already naked, so why not? In saying that, I also wanted to express my soft side, which you can hear." - Kara Bree The immersive production paints a vivid backdrop of flow, feel, flirtation, and intimacy. Zechariah lifts listeners to a higher frequency with each choice of instrumentation. “I came across the perfect beat from Zechariah, originally recorded it at home, and decided to then record it right at the end of a session at the studio one day. Most of the parts in there are actually one-take, which I love even more about this track. Not until about a month later, I went back to it. Mixtri added his magic touches as usual, and it was all flowing just how I wanted." - Kara Bree If you love Water Fairy, then Kara Bree's latest release, When You’re Ready, is bound to make an appearance on your playlist. Continuing her journey of vulnerability and breathy, angelic-like tones, it makes for the perfect transition between both tracks. "When You're Ready is about putting an end to falling in love with potential, it's the most dangerous thing my heart tends to do. I had a self reality check. Eventually, you choose yourself." - Kara Bree To listen to Water Fairy, click the link below! |
|