MELBOURNE, AUIf Rockstar by Post Malone had a baby with Travis Scott’s ad libs and that baby was then raised in the streets of Burn City’s North West amongst some of our city's elites, ZAZA would be the musical product of this environment. This right here is a turnt trifecta of well-played cadence, sonical masc-femme blends, verse endurance, and looping synths that will capture your attention and actually hold it. PEDLER, JDro, and Mirna chop it up together and deliver their own rhythmic tones and flows full of flavour and spice on ZAZA. It’s light, tasteful, and easy to digest as they show love for a recreational favourite. PEDLER sets the bar for punchlines with his human design fit line that's followed by JDro hitting the beat hard as if it were his opps; call him Vader because he’s the father of these rappers. Mirna completes the cleverness with back-to-back bars buddy, and she makes it known she has a hart like Kevin, but she ain’t talking funny. Quite simply, this trio flexed their creative intellect. “The record was made during a creative slump. I had ventured a bit too far outside of my comfort zone, making a lot of R&B and dance-style tracks that’ll probably never see the light of day, I felt like I had to return to my roots. I love being versatile and fluid, but sometimes you have to go back to what you’re good at. That's really what my whole forthcoming “Monster” EP is about. Getting JDro and Mirna on the track was what made the most sense to me after I finished my verses. Dro and I have great chemistry, and I've been wanting to work with Mirna for awhile. They made the track feel complete.” - PEDLER From the drop, you can hear the influences swirling around the beat as PEDLER adds his own touch of musicality alongside Mirna and JDro. ZAZA is seeping in fun and has a beast of a bassline. “The production was inspired by Travis Scott, but also a lot of the trap Drake songs. Usually I favour cool beat progressions and layers, but for this, I wanted something simple. I wanted hard-hitting trap beats that would accentuate the bars we were laying down, as opposed to the vocals being supplemented by the production.” - PEDLER PEDLER has a few upcoming shows for 2024. Catch him at his next show, listen to his latest album 'ALIEN.' and stay tuned for his next drop.
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NEW YORK, USAEvery song has an instrumental introduction that slaps and verses that slap even harder. His tone eases in with its infectious flow. Alpha$man has a digestible delivery simmering with clean-cut enunciation, making the listening experience seamless to follow along with The Moonlight Groove narrative. “Each one of my collections stems from an idea, thought process, or theme that encompasses where I am emotionally, spiritually, and mentally in time. As a 'wolf', we love the moon, as it’s our guide in the dark, and sometimes in life we find ourselves in the dark. So with this project, I let the moon be the beacon, not just for myself but for my fellow wolves out there as we continue our journey through this life."- ALPHA$MAN Track One: En Route A million-dollar heist, strategies day and night, waiting on that return on the investment so we can wake up and act as someone else’s blessing sets the theme for the first track off The Moonlight Groove. Alpha$man dips into each verse with stability and a consistent flow as the violin and electric guitar loop penetrate the beat. Track Two: Building Blocks Back in the kitchen and still on a mission, Alpha$man explores the grind and takes listeners through his journey of building a foundation made for the long run. He incorporates a brief reflection on family and respect before jumping back into his main focus, his building blocks. Track Three: WRLD$HIT Pull up, because he's on that WRLD$hit. The subtle repetitive synth instruments go crazy as Alpha$man delivers his signature consistent flow. This is a flex on empires and a stealing of beauties. Track Four: My Phone He’s going in expeditiously with a slight Latin spin, shining a light on the assumptions made when his focus is on his phone, even though he’s penning his flows. Track Five: Cadenza Talk Connecting every punch with his raw flow, Cadenza Talk is content classic. The beat represents the streets and embodies a cypher-like feel that is unskippable and unstoppable. “The inspiration for The Moonlight Groove production is simply that this is what we do. SDot (@stephen_corey93) and Bernard (@BernardTheBastard) create the sounds, and I take them and give them life. Aside from my personal drive, one of my biggest influences when it comes to music is Curren$y. The way he works and delivers project after project non-stop, all year long, and at a high level, shows me I can do that too. I know I’m capable of reaching that high level of greatness. I’m inspired by the way he’s been able to stick to doing his own thing, taking the 'side streets', performing at smaller venues, and making the experience more intimate and organic despite what may be expected in present-day rap.” - Alpha$man Track Six: Around You and Track Seven: No Pity hit a welcomed slowdown; the tempo pulls back, the energy drops a gear, but the lyrical persistence and flow consistency doesn’t take a back seat. Alpha$man blows smoke and takes a moment to let the beat breathe, driver’s seat only . Track Eight: Lunar Landscape Slightly cosmic like the track title, Lunar Landscape is a jumble of unpredictable lyrical emphasis that gives weight to the quotes found within; there’s a beat to lyric tension, and quite simply, it works. Track Nine: Collection Alpha is never stressed, always understanding that there is a lesson that is destined, and you have to add it to the collection. He has a lot to say; there’s a lot to express with every bit of life experience, and he engages his thoughts into song, dropping wisdom to those who are listening. Track 10: Ancestral Plane Colliding his world of rap with his celestial intellect is the best way to end a body of work. The Moonlight Groove comes to a close with sonical luminary that's full of ambience and chill flow; catch the drift and fly towards home. If you liked The Moonlight Groove, then check out his latest album, Lethal Dosage, which is followed by his latest EP, Add More Rośe: The Second Glass! Stay tuned as Alpha$man has a trunk full of projects, appearances, and collaborations on the way for 2024. Inglewood, Los Angeles - USAShining real bright in the dark, creating a star out of his heart, and releasing a dirty jazzy joint that is beyond pleasing to the ears, A1 Krashn serves a musical delicacy with his track Black Moon. Starting off with a profoundly inspirational speech from successful business tycoon Steve Harvey, A1 Krashn uses his vessel to inspire listeners by taking a chapter out of his journey and utilising his challenges as fuel. From the jump, the message is clear: “To get to that life, you’re gonna have to jump." Black Moon dives into the depths, illustrating an opaque blanket of struggle, stress and spiral in the world around and within. It signifies a night under the black moon, a new lunar phase void of illumination, one where hidden truths incubate, silence intensifies, and meditation loses resonance. A1 Krashn is a walking testament as he sings with resilience and delivers harmony, flow, and lyricism that further proves his SUPERSTAR abilities, and if you've seen him live, you'll know exactly what we're talking about when we say his stage presence is awe-inspiring. “My inspiration was actually life experiences and making a way out of no way. I know going through a struggle made me stronger, and I wanted to create something that could give our people the same motivation. When I created the Black Moon, I was homeless and unstable. I knew I was going to beat the odds and become greater than what was around me. I chose to focus on what was in front of me and dedicated my time to making a change.” - A1 Krashn The instrumentals are far from mainstream; A1 Krashn doesn’t succumb to what’s on trend nor does he subscribe to clout; he’s as real as it gets; he’s a musician, a poet, a soul on fire that transcends time and space when played through your stereo, headphones, or witnessed on stage. “I wrote, produced, mixed, and mastered Black Moon; I actually am in control of the majority of the creative process on a lot of my songs.” - A1 Krashn A1 Krashn wrapped up 2023 with a few shows, and he steps into the new year with even more public appearances. Seeing and supporting A1 Krashn is a must for your New Year's To-Do list. All movements of his are broadcasted on his Instagram, so stay in the loop and keep Black Moon where it needs to be, on replay! Melbourne, AU - Minneapolis, USAThis is that Melbourne to Minneapolis takeover, where the crown is heavy and being held down by Harrison Noble and Ja Harlin; their words are bond, and not one soul can snatch or switch up on these two with their latest release, Crown. Luminescent when they write, Harrison Noble and Ja Harlin took their time to find their break as they rap each verse with no brakes. It’s HOT, it’s GAS, and it’s an immense amount of FUEL that vibrates from start to finish on Crown. From their combined vocal compatibility to their undeniable skill and aligned rhythm, Harrison Noble and Ja Harlin exude smooth flows with precision tones like a sniper immersed in the shadows; they creep up unexpectedly with a silent aim that hits their target effortlessly, bullseye. Crown expresses the blessings and burdens that come with authentic talent; pair that with the drive to master certain skills of interest, and you uncover the scales of balance that hold the sides of love and loathe, the outspoken lovers and the undercover haters, the pleasure and the pain. It comes with the territory of alignment, which Harrison and Ja are too familiar with. Crown lyrically captures the level-up. “I think in order to pursue a career in music, you need to have a certain degree of delusional confidence in yourself; this is true in other creative fields as well. The odds are stacked against you, but you love the journey so much that you would do it no matter the end result. So I wanted to touch on feeling motivated and focused on your goal, but also speak about some emotional wobbles you may have on your journey. When Ja sent me his verse, he killed it; it fit the context and style perfectly, and I’m super thrilled with the result.” - Harrison Noble “Harrison took the lead on the inspiration; his lyrics were on point and easy to follow, not being too boastful but proud as artists who are kings of our own lanes; we put the work in to build." - Ja Harlin The instrumentals produced by JustDanBeats are saturated in a rich rollercoaster of evocatively sampled harmonies. Harrison ticks quicker than speed; like a timer, his rapping is mentally stimulating while maintaining perfect enunciation. Ja connects with listeners through hushful depth, exceptional flow, and a resonating perspective of the climb. “I found him on BeatStars and instantly connected with his style of production. He produced my song 'High as God' and will feature his production on my upcoming work as well. His beats make me feel like I’m stepping into a different space; they tell a story on their own, which makes the writing process easy for me. I also want to shout out @MixedbyTrae, who was the mix and master engineer for Crown." - Harrison Noble Crown will be part of Harrison Noble’s album, which is due to release this year. He also has a track with Pedler titled “Pain For A Dream”. Ja Harlin has a few projects in the works; currently, the music is being mixed and mastered and on its way to take off. Add Crown to your rotation and follow our new playlist for 2024 that’ll be updated weekly (link below). MELBOURNE, AUSJumping right in with eerie piano keys that pace with an unnerving amount of tension, mrlukeyluke and TOON TARO break it completely down to the curious, the superstitious, and the subconscious on their track STRANGER THAN FICTION. Opening with a radio callout that sets the tone for the peculiar, mrlukeyluke and TOON TARO are casting spells, breaking programs, and illuminating their truth for others to find on STRANGER THAN FICTION. These two deliver mouthfuls of perspective with each verse; nothing is hidden, deep depths are reached, and demons are unmasked. It feels diabolical and nightmarish, which can be applauded to TOON TARO’s audible sensations on the instrumentals. STRANGER THAN FICTION leads listeners on a cerebral journey that starts off with ascending narrow, winding wooden stairs that open a door to expose a conscious shock of information for those who have not explored this region. They integrate the darkness found with specks of light as they analyse and question the world around them and their experiences. Shots are fired, observations are made, and it becomes clear that fear does not live here. If anything, these guys enjoy a little heat, a little spice, and a little dark (k)night of the soul that’s served with clarity; double the trouble. A word of caution is necessary for newcomers that plummet down the rabbit hole vacant from light; it may be confronting, uncomfortable, and even paralysing for some, which is why you don’t stick around for too long. Enjoy the adventure and secrets of the moon, but always return home to the sun. “The track was a missing piece to the album puzzle, ‘Lead by Example 2'; strangely, “no pun” intended, it organically appeared, leaving us both inspired by the question”. - mrlukeyluke x TOON TARO Off the bat, you can hear elements of cypher worthy content as each rhyme spills onto the beat of the TOON TARO-produced track with ease and flow, a mix of darkness and tones of heart. It’s giving duality, untamed, and loudly unapologetic. “STRANGER THAN FICTION has a touch of Westside Gunn; we let the Yin & Yang speak for itself”. - mrlukeyluke x TOON TARO Slowing down is not an option for these two, and it shows with both artists dropping their own respective solo and duo projects that gift listeners with an even more in-depth glimpse into their creative souls. The year ahead is even more promising, with more projects and visuals to come. Stay on the mrlukeyluke and TOON TARO vibes and follow the playlist below. Nashville, TN, USAWe’ve got Jyou and K.O.N back at it again for a third collaboration with their trailblazing marks that continue to put Nashville on the map. The Boombox EP serves five songs and a listening experience of sixteen minutes, making it perfect to process and digest at any given time of the day. First up is a speaker breaker. Hips opens with a culture classic from Huey and Riley, you feel me?! It's quick and a hit, and you’ll want the volume turned all the way up for this turnt AF track. Hips is easily one of the catchiest tracks present in this body of work from Jyou and K.O.N. You'll be repeating 'drop them hips if you’re a baddie' in no rush! Jyou and K.O.N deliver each verse with gumption, growl, and vocal grit as they experiment with their own range, cadence, and lyrical output. “We had a bunch of songs on the hard drive, and as we drew closer to the summer, we felt like it was a good time to package them all together. A session at Kon’s studio sparked it off. We created the intro track on the project Hips, and felt like, sonically that was the direction we were going in.” - Jyou MIA continues the up-tempo vibes and penetrating bass. The chorus unravels as an anthem as Jyou and K.O.N nonchalantly flow “baby girl, ian never made a slow song, life too fast," and best believe the visuals match the energy. It’s a fun fusion of hype, beautiful women, temporary desire, and celebration. You can’t f*** with 'em. We Aight, featuring JORDAN Xx switches the pace and takes the party to another level with these three on demon time. The production continuously delivers vitality; it’s like a breath of fresh air after each transition, verse, and hook. It’s evident that an insane amount of trekking through new aural territory and feeling, as well as thinking outside the box, was present during the recording process. It’s cool, it’s better than aight, and in the famous words of the legend Katt Williams, tonight we’re getting f***** up! “For this EP specifically, we wanted to create a present-day sound while paying homage to the influences that've moulded us. With songs like “Frondoe (ft. Artbully)," which ties into our southern roots, and “We Aight (ft. JordanXx)," the hype hair swingin’ joints. Even tracks like "MIA," produced by $hrames, and "Leisure," produced by AB Eastwood, give you this video game-like feel with the ringing sample.” - Jyou Frondoe featuring Artbully is a personal favourite with its light and twinkling instrumental elements that push forward Jyou and K.O.N’s vocal depth and bright flows while emphasizing Artbully's feminine tone that’s injected with a slight masculine kick. It feels like a world full of innocence and vulnerability, exposed amongst the masking games and pain. We’ve got tempo switches, impeccable storytelling, and real-life relatability for those in dead-end relationships. This is the joint that'll increase your confidence and have you leaving your man at the front door as you activate your ego to throw that a** some more. Leisure completes the journey of The Boombox and downshifts the frequency for the final chill-out session. It’s the classic end to a party when the memories are complete and some of the energy of the night wants to be further explored. The instrumentals are light, airy, and butterfly-like; the chorus is divine and elongated, adding to the gentle theme; and meanwhile, there is another proud culture moment where Season 1, Episode 2, on The Boondocks is paid respect. The Boombox EP is a dynamic, audibly tantalising, genre experimental project that is dipped with Rap, Hip-Hop and R&B and hints at Jazz, Hard-style, and Electronica influences. Jyou and K.O.N truly poured their creative souls into this exquisite sonical concoction, flaunting their musicianship skills, and their ability to blend their own respective frequencies into a magic melting pot of music. Hit the plus sign on your streaming service to line up The BoomBox EP for the ultimate listening experience. Tap in with Inner Circle, which is a Nashville-based collective where they strive to promote local and regional talent through live events, production, and digital media. Start your journey by clicking the link below. |
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