Influential Visions - “The Visionaries, Vol. 2” (EP)
Collectives, Groups, Crews, and Clans have been a part of Hip-Hop since its inception. Multiple people with different talents working toward the same goal can move mountains, while also proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Long Island Crew Influential Visions are looking to be viewed as the latter, assembling the squad to create one of the best group tapes I’ve heard since Brockhampton’s Saturation series. Across the 8 tracks on the project, the versatility of the entire group is on a most impressive display, with each track adopting a different sound from the last. Elements of subgenres like Trap and Drill are well represented, but so are Alternative Hip-Hop and R&B. The production is super crisp, with a balanced mix that allows you to hear all of the track’s nuances perfectly. Capping the tape off with a group cypher, Influential Visions have created a body of work that fits well into today’s music landscape, while also serving as an exceptional proof of concept for what this group of young artists can really do.
If you are a fan of Trap, Alt Hip-Hop, and Alt R&B, I highly recommend giving this record a spin when it drops on July 14th! (Pre-Save Here)
BANNI - INNADARK (Single)
A chopped up vocal sample serves as the melodic throughline on this energetic track from Brooklyn artist BANNI, who is back with another single after dropping his “HILLSIDE” Project just two months ago. Thanks to the heavy hitting drums that bounce around the track and underneath its melody, BANNI is able to weave both sincerity and chaos at the same time. His emphatic delivery helps elevate the track's atmosphere, as he talks about the lack of trust he’s got in some of the people who come around him, causing him to move with some more tact. The track is only 2.5 minutes long, but BANNI sees his musical ideas through as far as they can go on this loop. Thanks to its lively nature, the track ultimately makes for a fun and quick listen.
If you’re a fan of Alt Hip-Hop, this track needs to be added to your queue when it drops on July 14th!
EnergyofAsh - If Only You Knew Pt. 1 (EP)
As the first of her upcoming Trilogy of EP’s, “If Only U Knew Pt. 1,” is a glimpse into the creative mind of Queens artist EnergyofAsh. Leaning heavily into the Alternative R&B space on this record, each of the 7 tracks have their own heart and soul. The sounds themselves are borderline Bedroom Pop-ish, but that works in its favor, as it helps evoke an ethereal atmosphere that lends to the scope of the project. Sometimes singing, sometimes rapping, EnergyofAsh’s lyrical ability is on full display, as she comes with both bars and vocals. She isn’t afraid to experiment with the production either, as elements of Caribbean music also find their way into a couple of tracks on here. As a (partial whole) this EP does a great job of showing EnergyofAsh’s versatility with the pen, and with her voice, and I’m eagerly awaiting it’s continuation.
If you like Alternative R&B, or Indie R&B, this project will be coming your way on July 17th, on all streaming platforms! If you can’t wait that long, don’t worry, you can listen to the whole thing (and part 2) here!
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