The album begins with a track, ‘YouSaidGoodbye’ that waxes lyrical about a relationship ending and one’s unrelenting love for an individual saying goodbye to their lover. The production on the track is quite dated and unfortunately cheesy, with overtly MIDI-sounding strings and percussion that sounds like it’s from a basic pack in a DAW. The rhymes are quite compelling, telling the story of the situation, but I can’t lie about the delivery- I don’t think it’ll appeal to a lot of people in this day and age. The vocalist tries to add some dimension to the song, but her vocals are unfortunately quite flat.

Afterwards, ‘Who Am I’ starts off afterwards with a more promising production, with more dimension and slight percussion syncopation akin to Timbaland’s earlier work. It has more depth, and more potential, but the vocalist’s voice is also not very well-mastered in this particular track. Her vocals have more improvement, reminding me a little bit of Lana del Rey’s monotonous delivery. Slick 2H Rick’s delivery in this track is not particularly impressive, sounding offbeat at times.

‘African Beauty’ saves the album a little bit, with much better production, but the vocalist isn’t very impressive- once again, not entirely mastered perfectly, but with a syncopation okay enough to match the Amapiano-esque instrumental. In fact, this isn’t Afrobeats, this is somewhat of an Amapiano fusion track. The log drums aim to punch, but Slick 2H Rick’s delivery needs a bit more rhythm to it. He improves in this track as the backing is also a bit monotonous, but there’s not much to it. ‘2H’ follows through with an instrumental that informs you that the tone of the track is a bit more serious. The lyrics are a bit more confrontational, cementing Slick 2H Rick’s status as an OG in the industry. I’d say the song ‘Treat ‘Em Right’ afterwards is one of the best tracks on this album, as the rhythm and the composition of the song FINALLY fits the style of rap he’s going for. It sounds like a modern rehashing of hip-hop tracks from the 80s and the 90s, which is where he shines. The track supports the flow of the delivery and it is somewhat harmonious.

The track ‘Higher (Che Che)‘ with Boni Fass once again, takes the Amapiano fusion style that this time, borrows heavily from the Yaba Buluku Boys and DJ Tarico’s style of Mozpiano. Once again, I have no issue with the instrumental, but both the vocalist and the rapper does not necessarily uphold the track to me. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth. As someone actually with contacts in the industry the vocals and the rapping sequence would not necessarily make it out of somebody’s Bluetooth speaker near Aratumi market, let alone Mozambique or South Africa. Kudos to whoever produced the track though.

The tracks ‘Lil Bougie’ and ‘Bounce It’ both support compositional techniques that remind me of the rap scene from the early to mid 2010s. I think there’s a market for people who are into that particular subset of music.

At the end of this, I’m well aware that the artist may get upset with me and use their high number of Spotify listeners to justify their art. At the end of the day, I’m a reviewer, not a promoter, and this is an interpretation of your music. Don’t let my words take you down and keep doing what you do.

SCORE/Mediocre: Slick 2H Rick tries to mix an OG style of rap with newer music trends, and some musical trends from the early 2010s, but he shines best in tracks that honor the OG style of rap because the backing track supports the lyrical delivery. Unfortunately, most of the album suffers from a delivery to instrumental mismatch or nothing necessarily unique in the world of rap besides the poignant attempt at lyricism.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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The opener, “Dougboy 2.0,” sets the pace with raw vocal energy and a pounding beat. The ad-lib and scream in the intro are bold choices that work. His voice is clear, aggressive, and commands attention. Lines like “corporate slaves” slam hard without feeling forced. The message is sharp, and the beat supports it without ever crowding him out.

“The Bad Boys of Alki” takes a different turn. It feels more relaxed, with a breezy rhythm and a clever use of space in the line “life’s at ease.” The track captures the sense of stepping away from chaos to find something more grounded in the natural world. It is a welcome breather without losing substance.

“Instigator” brings back the energy. The beat has a bounce to it, with layered vocals that show off a real talent for arrangement. His rhyme schemes stretch beyond basic patterns and show depth. There is confidence in every line. It is catchy but not shallow.

“Tower of Babel” slows things down but keeps the focus sharp. The song dives into commentary on modern life, referencing everything from Trump to AI. The chorus sticks, and the production supports the tone well. It is clear, pointed, and probably the most infectious track on the record.

“Gilded Age 2.0” punches back in with intensity. The lyrics lean hard into class struggle and economic frustration. “We’re nothing but a lump of clay for the billionaires to mould” is a standout line. The rhythm and delivery feel locked in. It is a protest anthem that does not bother dressing itself up.

“Ton of Bricks” shifts into a slower, weightier mood. It draws attention to environmental collapse and political indifference. The vibe is brooding. There is a sense of hopelessness that runs deep, but it is not without purpose.

“Bottlenecks” critiques the way media floods us with tragedy without reflection. The chorus is sticky, the beat well-matched, though parts of the track risk feeling repetitive. Still, the frustration comes through clearly, and the message holds up.

“Dockside” gets heavier with its bass-driven beat and critique of disinformation. There is a sense of urgency here. The production builds and breaks in a way that mirrors the anxiety in the lyrics.

“The Fascist Happy Hour” takes a wild turn. The vocals at the beginning lean into a pop-rock style that works surprisingly well. The beat builds steadily and hits hard. There is energy here that feels ready for a live crowd. It is defiant and absurd in the right ways.

“Pin Cushion” opens with soft strings and minimal piano, a stark contrast to the rest of the album. The lyrics reflect on greed, faith, and indoctrination. There is emotional range in both the vocal delivery and the production. The build from stillness to chaos is one of the album’s strongest moments.

“Apocalyptic Beats” continues the descent into cynicism. Lines like “we’d all be better off extinct” sound harsh, but in the context of the album, they feel honest. There is power in that honesty. The stripped-down instrumental section gives listeners time to sit with the weight of the message.

“Rings of Saturn” returns to piano and poetic flow. It blends cosmic imagery with political critique. Lines like “death by a thousand political daggers” capture the exhaustion of living through repeated failures. The writing is tight and effective.

“Breaking Beats” is one of the more personal tracks. It deals with disillusionment and the shift toward faith when everything else feels broken. The performance is emotional without being overdone. The pacing and delivery show that this subject matters deeply to him.

“Seven Woes” closes the record with fire. The intro sounds like an alarm, fitting for a song that feels like the final warning. The delivery is sharp, angry, and passionate. It ties together all the themes that came before and leaves a lasting impression.

SCORE / Excellent – America’s Enema, Vol. 2 is intense, chaotic, and unfiltered. It is not an easy listen, but it is not meant to be. King’s Court Mafia has carved out a voice that demands to be heard. Whether you agree with him or not, you will not forget this album.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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“Hooks By: DJ is best known for his versatile talent, encompassing many genres: from hip-hop to pop.  Originally born in Omaha, Nebraska but now residing in Los Angeles, California, Hooks By: DJ started writing songs at the age of 10. Starting at an early age has helped Hooks By: DJ to learn the intricacies of what results in a successful song, enabling the songwriter to gain experience under his wing and gain an edge on their competition.” Soundcloud artist bio.

So let’s have a listen …

This is a solid rap song. I particularly loved the vocal sound and flow of rapper in the middle of the song. I found the first 20 seconds of the song interesting, then they raise the volume of the lead vocal, not particularly liking the voice or the repeating lyrics “Christina Aguilera you bitches.” The production on the track is solid, and the music has a very nice flow to it. This track is in the neighborhood of being excellent, but the main vocal chorus gets annoying because it’s so repetitive, taking up 2/3 of the song.

I’d like to hear more of the rapper in the middle of the song (Crushboy Zach?). The chorus was just too repetitive. Write some additional lines, change it up, remix the song, and re-release it. It’s catchy, but far too repetitive. The mix and production sound good. It’s close to excellent.

SCORE/Good: The production and flow of this rap track are very nice. I found the main vocal/chorus to be too repetitive and a bit annoying. But the song is still produced well enough to earn a Good rating. If the chorus is fixed, re-written, the song may rank higher. Much love, Beth

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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On the surface, “American Spirit” is about the struggle to quit smoking -“The song is a metaphor for trying to break out of toxic cycles — whether it’s nicotine or the creative rut that a lot of white rappers fall into,” say the brothers. “It’s about craving more honesty and depth in a space that often feels one-note. At the same time, it’s a nod to the stuff we grew up on — art, gaming, and all the messy in-betweens.” – Pink Jagg

The duo describes their new track as “A hazy, genre-blurring track that pulls from personal experience, frustration with the culture, and their desert hometown.” The production on the track intentionally “made a point to pull in organic textures that reflect where we’re from.” For example, the duo explains, “There’s a sound under the snare in the hook that we love — it’s actually a Javelina’s jaw snapping shut. They’re these blind desert pigs that use their jaw pop as a defense mechanism or to show they’re annoyed. It felt like the perfect sound to capture the emotion we were chasing.” “We wanted the song to feel like the desert — dry, sharp, but layered.”

The new single was produced by Pink Jagg and mixed by Kevin Mintz. The duo lists their target audience as fans of Dominic Fike, Brockhampton, and King Krule. Finally, the duo says, “‘American Spirit’ is a fresh, thoughtful take on vulnerability, frustration, and creative evolution.”

So let’s have a listen …

I appreciate that the duo posted lyrics to the song with the track on Spotify – it makes it easy to follow along and understand the lyrics. In rap, lyrics are King. I also appreciate the lo-fi nature of the track, and there are numerous interesting instrumental parts throughout – a nice bed to rap over.

There’s a bridge in the song where they rap at double speed, and that’s way cool. I like that the track kicks off with an old TV-radio clip.

I think some of the rhymes are stretched. And rhyming about “poop” – Seriously? The rap is fairly good, but the lyrics could use some polishing. I like that the background beat reminds me a little of Sub Urban’s “Cradles.”

The track is explicit, so that will kill radio play unless a clean version is released, so I would encourage Pink Jagg to do exactly that. Soon.

SCORE/Good: Rap is a highly competitive field these days, and it’s hard to break out of the crowd, but I think Pink Jagg has found a production style that will elevate their game. The track sounds great. My only drawback is that the lyrics need work, and they need to release a clean version to get radio play. Nice job! Much love, Beth

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What makes G-Killa an interesting face to look out for is related to the musical acceptance within his family. Coming from a family that doesn’t value or respect music, he still pursued his dream as a rapper, hoping one day to sway their minds to accept his passion for this art.

So, without further ado, let’s get into G-Killa’s new single “Truth”:

From the first seconds of the track, you are immersed in the soulful, southern hip-hop rap style, which doesn’t follow the typical sound of Detroit you might hear from artists like Tee Grizzley. The sound remotely reminds me of Rod Wave’s mixture of pop rap that blends influences from R&B yet dives into lyrics challenging the trust and trustworthiness of those around, amplifying the track’s name.

Additionally, the rapper’s sound reminds me of the aesthetic that Polo G often employs in his tracks, incorporating conscious hip-hop elements while mixing them with soft, pop-like instrumentals that feel lush yet raw.

While it is clear what the artist is aiming for, and considering this is one of his first ventures, the release stands solid; however, at moments, the mixing and mastering of the vocals feel slightly choppy. The track carries the weight of a bit of excessive autotune, turning the artist’s vocals into a chaotic blend with emotionally hollow notes while still aiming for that raw sound. It just feels a bit more like a distraction from the actual message and the track’s soft yet lush style, which the minimalistic and delicate beat brings to the table.

The sound design feels melancholic and soft-toned, introducing the artist’s warmth and the airy coldness he experiences from treachery. In general, the track feels solid and decent, but the vocals—particularly the tightly sequenced transitions between beat’s verse 1 and 2—make the track feel less punchy.

Score/Good: Overall, G-Killa gives you an interesting sound that offers a fresh perspective on Detroit’s mix of pop rap, combining different influences from Rod Wave and Polo G to shape his unique cold and soft-paced style. As I have mentioned before, the only downside of the track is the over-reliance on autotuned vocals, which slightly feel out of place and slow down the dynamic of the track.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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“WITHSTAND THA FIRE (Anti-Hetero Anthem)” immediately places itself in the mix of his previously explored style on SOCIAL STUDIES, diving into an infectious, mysterious, and thought-provoking delivery.

K2 Cocky actively gives you the feel of industrial music with a heavy, vocal-driven track that showcases his harsh and choppy vocal execution, adding layers to the aesthetic—though it slightly feels off.

However, what I do admire within the song’s soundscape is the dynamic, quite psychedelic, all-over-the-place beat, reminiscent of something from slowthai’s UGLY. The pulsating, echo-drenched instrumental generally does the job well in creating that bizarre atmosphere, though the looped orchestration during the chorus gives it a prolonged feel.

The song’s sound selection certainly showcases what the artist was aiming for with his emotional and punchy delivery, but the mixing and mastering of the vocals really take away from its potential. The blending of two different cadences—from vicious, snarling rap flow to emotional singing—doesn’t work as sharply as it should. Instead of illuminating the chorus with a dynamic switch-up, the singing part blends in with the dissonant production.

While the thematic context of the song is hypnotic and potent, the noticeable issues in vocal mixing and mastering rob the track of its intended ‘kick.’

I really admire K2 Cocky’s foray into a mechanical and synthetic sound that challenges the usual constructs of industrial hip-hop. However, the lack of clear separation between the vocals and the instrumental meshes all the sounds together, diminishing the charm of the technological flair that K2 Cocky offers.

Score/Mediocre: While I see the artistry in K2 Cocky’s sound and, particularly, his message, the song’s shortcomings in proper mixing detract from its full potential. The strong aspects of the instrumental—its haunting, hypnotic feel—do illuminate the track compared to many look-alike sounds today, but overall, it falls short.

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Moe Carter is a rapper based in NC/NJ who recently dropped his new EP called Insert Coin Here 2. Just from the title itself and the cover, we can see that Insert Coin Here 2 is a mesh of gaming and street culture, where Moe draws on his inspirations, ups and downs, and experiences of the concrete jungle and its struggles.

Moe usually gives you a nice mix of East Coast rap with classic Southern hip-hop, featuring hard-hitting instrumentals, nostalgic samples, and crispy drums. I had not heard about Moe Carter before this EP, but the artist has already been around for some time, so without further introduction, let’s jump into Insert Coin Here 2:

After first listening to the tracks from the album’s start, I had some mixed feelings.

When you get into the project with the intro track “Lifeline,” you can’t help but notice the prominent inconsistency in mixing and mastering of the track.

While the rapper’s cadence and flows are certainly sharp, the mixing and mastering issues make it sound extremely off the beat undercutting the rapper’s punch. With those hard-hitting elements on “Lifeline,” where the piano part builds that haunting yet repetitive atmosphere, it’s hard to stay fully engaged. However, later the rapper introduces you to some of the better-mixed tracks, which we will get into later.

With that point out of the way, I must say that the rapper is quite adept at experimenting and trying different sounds. Whether it is the trap-infused “Lifeline” or the heavily Southern hip-hop-esque “Purple Hearted,” Moe Carter offers a solid diversity throughout the record. Additionally, most of these tracks are filled with a certain substance and narratives that deviate from the usual modern repetitive rap narrative.

On a track like “Purple Hearted,” the rapper gives you a nice bridge to the previously introduced piano-haunting atmosphere, reminding me of the hardcore hip-hop style you get from artists like Denzel Curry, which, frankly, the artist mostly nails.

Funnily enough, the further you go into the record, the more melodic Moe Carter becomes—whether it is circling back to a melodic Southern hip-hop influence on “Black Bentley” with a fusion of conscious hip-hop, or the outro track “Speed Bumps” with its jazz influence. However, while “Black Bentley” gives you a lot of familiar elements that people love within this hip-hop lane, “Swahili” definitely remains one of my favorites on this EP.

The 4th track, “Swahili,” is simply exceptional; it gives you that ferocious sound of Moe combined with a snarling delivery and a mysterious beat, which certainly stands out as the most memorable and raw performance from the artist on the EP. It not only finds itself in a space of substantial conscious hip-hop and storytelling but also matches the energy of the build-ups within the beat.

With the outro track “Speed Bumps,” you are in for the sweet and nice touch that wraps up the EP with a melodic, boom-bap-type vibe that finally transitions into jazz rap. If “Black Bentley” only gave you a slight hint of the jazz rap style with its surrealistic sound, “Speed Bumps” fully embraces that sound as its fate.

Insert Coin Here 2 is a solid listen, although it feels as if Moe Carter is stepping into his artistic journey. While some of the tracks definitely have strong elements, the inconsistent vocal and beat mixing lowers the project’s quality and replay value. The rapper clearly has potential and deserves recognition as an emerging talent, but the ups and downs of the mixing and watered-down sound of the vocals keep Insert Coin Here 2 from being the best record by any means.

Score/Good. I believe this record certainly deserves a good score, as the rapper has a solid flow and bars that can immerse you in his narrative—especially in the latter half, from track three to the outro. However, when the album dives into those hard-hitting, dynamic sounds like “Lifeline” or “Purple Hearted,” the echoed-down vocals detract from the album’s stronger aspects.

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The album starts of strong with a sick beat and keyboard riff with the song Trending Topic, about what you think it is about – trending on social media. Nice rhymes by Natalac, Benzino, and Mr Smith Aka Bo$$ Money. They manage to rhyme “topic” with “poppin”. This is a nice track, makes me want to hear more from this artist. The performances and mix are dope. And true to form, they manage to reference their Jacksonville roots.

The next track Jacksonville News isn’t a song, just a short news interview. About a rapper (Foolio) who was shot and killed. It’s included as a lead in to the next track Jacksonville Hip Hop, which kicks off with an eerie keyboard riff and has Natalac telling a story about the hip-hop scene in Jacksonville. I don’t like the vocal on the “Jacksonville, Jacksonville” bit at the start of the song, but once the beat drops at 00:40 into the song, the melodies and rhymes start to flow from the heart. “Then the RICO case is dropped.” I like how the song ends on the word “church” just out of the blue.

Scam Likely (SpamRisk) is a lively track about Duval County where Jacksonville sits. I like the soundscape created by this song. It’s interesting to listen to, your ears are like “what the hell is going on?” I love the phone call ending to this track. This artist has a sense of humor.

D.U.V.A.L. repeated over and over. How many ways can we say Duval? I like the Gator Bowl reference, the city of Jacks, I like the flow in the song, but I’m not really liking the D-U-V-A-L as the hook of the song. Truth. But I suppose if you’re from Duval County, you’d probably like it at the show. I like the Boss Pimpin Mix of this song included as a separate track at the end of the album (track 12). Nice flow by YATBAT. Diggin’ the speed of it.

The next track One Two is only available if you buy the album. Mystery?

The seventh track Rich Niggas features Natalac and Benzino again. This track has a nice vocal mix, and I love the rhythmic nature of the vocals. They pop. All she want to do is fuck with Rich Niggas. Lots of anatomy, LOL. I really like the sound of this Pimp track. The song could be longer.

She Was Made for the Streets off with a speech about women taking over your world and the declaration that some women are made for the streets. But after the speech, it falls into a nice flow. The song is all about sex. Definitely explicit. I like the “milk and cereal” reference at the end of the song. “Just another hit, smoke that shit!” I can dig it, even if it is racy.

The ninth song is Right By You with Natalac and Ronnie Real. I like this song once the flow gets going. Nice East Philly rhythmic style to the vocals. I think the vocals during the “right by you” chorus could be better aka more sonically pleasing. But then the song drops back into a nice flow. Pimp song. I like the variation of the rap flows, keeps the song interesting.

Duval Dade (Damn Pimp Mix) with Natalac and JT Money “Duval Dade, OG Pimp Getting Paid”. Very interesting mix. I love the female vocals. “Is that one of them damn pimps?” LOL. The beat track seems to be a bit distorted, so I would fix that in the mix.

And really, how many songs about Duval can you put on one album? I suppose in this genre you get street cred by referencing your hometown. I’m imagining a hip-hop Super Bowl with artists from one city on a stage in one end zone, and artist from another city on a stage in the other end zone competing to see who gets more of the crowd’s attention, trading rhymes.

A.T.M., the eleventh song has a very Middle Eastern instrument track. The track features Natalac and Haze Karolina. Really nice flow on this song. Another song about sex and a girl who has a lot of boyfriends. “Welcome to the party, come please me with your body.” I like the chorus in this one.

SCORE/Good: I really liked the first song on this album Trending Topic. And the album is full of nice interesting flows. If you’re from Jacksonville, you’ll probably dig this album. I really liked most of the performers on this album over a nice collection of beats and mixes. There were times when I didn’t particularly like the scratchy vocals or the distorted mix which keeps me from rating this album as Excellent. Curious about Florida Pimp-Hop sounds? Check out this new album. Much love, Beth

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The album is described by the artist as having written in a dark dystopian future by his future self, sent back in time for him to release it now as the most important moment in our history. It’s also described as a call for those who can hear and for those who can see. As quoted, ‘Separation is illusion. There is only One. Merge with Nature, NOT technology. Find the balance.’ With this album, he presents his bare, naked soul.

The album honestly is appealing but concerning in a multitude of ways. It definitely is fresh in the sense of a revival of a style of rap that is no longer popular in the mainstream, but in terms of musical composition, it lacks any new motifs for it to be revolutionary or new.

I admit though, that that statement itself may cause some issues between the artist and I. I understand the intent of the album is much deeper, as the lyrics suggest, but one has to ask about the lines between depth and empiricism at some point. When songs become the sonic allegory to books, should all books be read because it’s in the form of a book?

When you consider the reasoning and truth-value of some of the songs aside, they are very adequately produced and executed. The artist has a bold voice that paints the narrative in most of these tracks, setting the foundation for the soapbox on which he metaphorically stands. I think the album could do with a little bit of newer production techniques, but that would thematically go against the artistic value and intent of the album itself.

the techniques and delivery within this album also reminds me of a lot of big acts associated with the old New York rap scene, such as characters like Ol’ Dirty Bastard. I think people who grew up in that era and reminisce on such musical acts would definitely revel in this album as a ‘return’ to their roots, and what they feel works.

I do have to commend the artist on his vocabulary. Rap albums are often meant to be judged on the linguistic prowess behind the work, instead of the music as an isolate- and I do have to say, he uses a higher standard of vocabulary and probes deeper into certain hypotheses compared to acts today. The branding behind the artist also helps to seal the deal, especially within the context of this release.

SCORE/Good: If you’d like to re-live an era of conscious rap without the need for an overreliance on race politics, this album is definitely for you. It’s chock-full of concepts and thematic tropes that will fuel your imagination, or ‘open your ‘eyes’. I don’t mean to hate, and please do not take this the wrong way, but the lack of innovation within the composition does not make this exceptional.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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K2 Cocky is an artist described as an LGBTQ shock rapper turned rocker. His current release consists of previously unreleased demos, b-sides, songs that were made interestingly using only vocal and nasal samples, as well as unique instrumentals. His fans, named Spice Cadets, have hailed it as his most radical and fantastic release to date.

He complements his release with an upcoming music video titled The Second P, with the intent to expose powerhouse A&Rs who left him homeless in group home institutions for several years especially after his mother committed suicide just 3 years prior. The rapper, both blacklisted in the industry and once dwelling in the group home system, has been diagnosed with c-PTSD. All proceeds of the demo ‘Go TAM’ are going to a disability and special needs institute in New York called Jawonio, known for its immense work in Hudson Valley, where the rapper and rocker is rumored to live. Music aside, I do commend K2 Cocky for being strong amidst the chaos and having the foresight to return back to his community. It is not easy for one to recover from such traumatic incidents, and I mean that seriously without an ounce of mockery.

With this deluxe edition, I’m afraid to say that the main problem with the previous release still remains- none of the advice I have written about mastering the tracks, especially the vocals, levels and EQ have been taken seriously. In fact, it turned into a thing of me versus them, when I can hear that the vocals, even from the main track, have not been professionally mastered. The levels in the instrumentals all clash with each other, even if the compositional intent is extremely interesting. This artist has potential, nobody’s denying that. There is indeed a market for this sound, but mastering is incredibly important. It’s the reason why other songs that are popular today may not even have the most complex musical intent can still ‘make it’ in the industry.

In a similar fashion, the tracks that have more of a synthesized sound tend to be mastered a little better, except for the vocals. Tracks like ‘No-One Likes You’, ‘Facemask’ and ‘Runs in the Blood’ have their compositional roots in a lot of shock rap and rock music from the late 90s, offering the same punch that his counterparts, such as Marilyn Manson has. However, the vocals and levels are not up to par. There is definitely effort put into the instrumental, combining a harsh rock sound with a technological flair- in some aspects, the hyper saw gives me the feel of a revival of 2010s electro-fusion music, and that is wonderful. In fact, the hypersaw is making a comeback.

I personally like the concept of certain tracks like ‘Graven Images’, ‘Justin, Martyr’d’ where the compositional intent of the song is abstract, and bears no vocals. There are a few mastering issues, such as the peak meter possibly going in the red, but the chord structure and the percussion stand out. It sounds like an edgy title track to a sci-fi or action movie in the 90s, and that is NEEDED. We need edgy music that takes the time to relish in its genre, without sounding too commercialised or fake. I can hear your authenticity, K2 Cocky. These instrumentals take the time to appeal to the listener without any kind of distraction. Special mention to the snare drum in ‘Prayer Bodiez’, as that is definitely sharpened well.

In an interesting turn of events, ‘R3M1X3D & R3M45T3RD’ has a very interesting compositional intent, sticking to the theme of using isolate vocal noises and chops to create a succinct and delicate soundscape. I think this adds a high degree of percussion and personalisation to the tracks, and with further mastering, this idea would definitely take off. It has a glimmer of innovation within its composition.

At the end of this, I have to say that my perception of this record is otherwise unchanged from the original release. I know the artist has weaponised my own words against me, to completely disregard any kind of actual advice or good aspects of his own artistry that I have pointed out, but if the deluxe edition bears the same flaws and the same wins as the main edition then I’m afraid to say nothing has artistically changed, but only emotionally.

My point still stands that the mastering and the mastering of tracks, particularly with vocals act as the main barrier to a sense of commercialism. It can stand as an underground act, and as I’ve mentioned before, if there is a fanbase behind it, then of course it has its own unique charm. However, on a music review website where I have to take EVERY SINGLE ALBUM AND SINGLE (pun intended) into consideration, would it really be fair for me to rank this higher than a body of work that is better mastered? I understand the emotional potency, and all of the trauma behind this work. For someone that has gone through strife, and definitely shines as a producer with innovative ideas and a knack for combining genres, K2 Cocky’s body of work is not something to shun.

But when I rarely give anyone a ‘transitionary’ rating, and advice is not seriously taken, instead, being used as an emotional weapon, then there is no real growth. And this lack of real growth shows in the lack of a deviation of standard from the previous release.

Score/Mediocre to Good: With the same standard of artistry in the regular version of ‘SOCIAL STUDIES’, ‘SOCIAL STUDIES: DELUXE’ still bears the same fiery artistry and undeniably creative intent with the same mastering and vocal mastering issues. Once again, the production on a lot of these tracks are pretty interesting and I have pointed out the artist’s proficiency. K2 Cocky still has untapped potential that needs further cultivating.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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The post K2 Cocky – I dunno what to name it: SOCIAL STUDIES DELUXE (Album Review) appeared first on Music Review World.