A selection of new and/or relevant hip hop tracks that have recently left an impression on us. For the full playlist click here.
The Black Plague, ZIllA – “Dr. Curt Conners”
You walk into a jazz lounge with soft, hazy lighting and order a whiskey on the rocks. Your drink arrives, and as you take the first sip, you close your eyes and lean back. That’s the world you step into during the first 34 seconds of “Dr. Curt Conners.” Through a prominent, smooth saxophone and seductive, almost operatic female vocals, an ordinary listener is easily lured into a false sense of easy categorisation. But right at the 35-second mark, a new layer emerges—electronic drums step in first and are quickly followed by steady, characterful rapping.
Dripping with swagger and sincerity, this unconventional hip hop track is produced by The Black Plague Doctors, an Atlanta-based hip hop collective composed of the duo Jo-Fi and St. Gabe, and known for their distinctive use of the SP404. Released under their offshoot alias, ZIIA, and serving as the opening track of their latest EP ‘EFF.SEE.DEE.IYEE.,’ this track offers the perfect glimpse into the nature of the songs that follow—refreshingly experimental while retaining charm without embellishment. All you have to do is tap ‘play’, and “Dr. Curt Conners” will saunter in and pull you close.
FL Lean – “NECKLACES”
It’s a little past midnight, and you’re leaning back in your car, shoulders relaxed, driving leisurely as neon city lights pass in slow streaks outside the window. The world moves around you, but you stay still, letting it all blur past. Sounds satisfying? Then FL Lean’s latest single, “NECKLACES,” might just be your next obsession. By pairing looping synth patterns and steady electronic textures with understated yet attitude-driven vocals and lightly introspective, repetitive lyrics, FL Lean creates an expertly layered hip hop track. His approach is straightforward—ditching flashy, fake vibes and tuning out industry noise to stay locked in on his own growth.
Ultimately, the single skillfully borrows from cloud rap’s ambient textures while staying rooted in a more grounded, chill hop groove. Remember to take off all your “NECKLACES” as you lean back and enjoy this lo-fi rap track.
William McLaughlin – “Dragon Hentai Tears”
William McLaughlin, who goes by the moniker WGMC, is an eclectic song scientist who creates his own personal labs in the form of soundscapes that are avant-garde and intentionally resist sterilisation. While stirring a melting pot of influences ranging from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Nirvana, he boldly presents an evolving vision of his own. “Dragon Hentai Tears” is his second single, and a rule-breaking, defiant one at that, with the entire production assembled through heavily modified and warped human vocals (such as grunts, whispers, gasps, etc.), with no instrumentation whatsoever. Through expansive synth-like textures and tonal shifts that splash across your eardrums in a strong current, WGMC creates a whirlpool that captures your attention and swirls it around. He aims for musical resonance, refusing to accept the boundaries of genre and remaining unconcerned with playing to the gallery.
It’s no wonder this track grips you completely through its controlled chaos, creating an immersive sonic palette. Lock in, sit tight, and embrace the sonic adventure found in “Dragon Hentai Tears.”
