A selection of new and/or relevant hip hop tracks that have recently left an impression on us. For the full playlist click here.
Billy Chuck Da Goat – “Mirror to Myself”
Billy Chuck Da Goat’s latest melodic rap number, “Mirror to Myself”, introspects with smooth flow, a shy beat, and prominent echo ad-libs that work together to create a unique atmosphere that is signature to the artist.
Billy Chuck Da Goat analyses every facet of his life, piecing together hope and grit to create a well-rhymed rap, with the production influenced by mellow trap tones.
JayKay – “Why Won’t You Abandon Me?”
JayKay’s experimental track “Why Won’t You Abandon Me?” keeps you hooked with its eccentric production choices that include looped echoes, changing vocal tune-ups, whimsical silences, and an arrangement that intentionally works against the vocals.
At first listen, these decisions may seem bizarre, but they successfully mirror the disorienting thought in a cluttered headspace that the title describes.
The ending has an anaesthetic effect, further pushing you into the sinking feeling, but only now there’s no way out.
Jamie Broad – “Grey Hairs”
The percussive flow that Jamie Broad delivers in “Grey Hairs” reminds you of hip hop’s influential resonance even to this day.
The production fuses pop synths, formulaic breaks, and emphasising cuts to put the vocals front and centre, enhancing Jamie’s voice that is punchy enough to stand out on its own.
Jamie stresses that this rap is bigger than a paycheque, and he sells that conviction without coming off too preachy.
“Grey Hairs” is not exactly reinventing the wheel, but it’s spinning it with enough control to make you lean in and listen.
Find our previous hip hop review here.
