$uicideboy$ "New World Depression" (2024)

 

Slick Southern Rap duo $uicideboy$ return afresh. Having built a cult fan base from the ground up, New World Depression marks another benchmark, their highest billboard charting to date! Impressive, but not reflective of the albums substance. Spending weeks with these cuts, Ive felt the sparkle fade gradually. Now accustom with their dreary tuneful sing-raps, slanted Southern cadences and difficult topicality, their routine of snappy beats and weighty rhymes fizzles into just that, a routine.

The closing stretch catches my ear. Covering U.N.L.V's classic Drag Em N Tha River makes for a memorable shift in tone. Stabbing string jabs and a jarring piano riff mixes up the mood. Its proceeded by the records darkest and best track. Us Vs Them ushers in criminal melodies mustering a tone for stealthy mischief as the pair rap devious carefree threats. The Thin Grey Line indulges in a similar mysteria, the beat conjuring conspiratorial vibes for the duo to exchange their sharpest flows.

Mostly dabbling with moody, glum instrumentals, brief moments of insightful lyricism fall between the cracks of boisterous showboating wordplay. Relatable messaging of struggles and drug abuse dull as a result. Previously their words soared. Its either familiarity or the routine I alluded too but New World Depression simply entertains before fading from consciousness. Competent record, but lacking a fresh spark.

Rating: 6/10

$uicideboy$ "Shameless $uicide" (2023)

 

Recently Ive brought myself up to speed with this duo's trio of full length efforts. Its been a mixed bag of tricks, reeking with potential yet lacking a firm stride. Unsure of where to navigate next, its seems Ive lucked out! This latest EP, dropped two months back, struck indulgent vibes. Their difficult subject matter lures suffering into mellow relief through dreamy instruments drifting over the steady slam of crunking drums.

 Ruby & Scrim bring their best, strong vocal tunes with sway, elevating their unapologetic raps into breezy melodies. Its a wild wrestle, a mastery of struggle yielded to a cathartic escape through expression. Something retro and summery also lurks among this gritty percussion. Flirting with cheesy, stark synths and cloudy electronic melodies, they conjure a laid back allure among the dark topical chaos.

At the mid point things turn nasty, leaning into violence with gun sounds and grizzly beats, peering into the bleak. The bass bangs with deep sub resonating underneath bussing drum patterns, an apt chemistry to house such grimness. The pair, along with guest for the record Shakewell, lean into nasty gangster braggadocio to great effect!

Some of their sharpest raps arrive among these two shorter cuts, before the moods mellow out again. For me, the melodic sung raps shone brightest. The change in pace works but that's where the magic sparks. I really enjoyed this. When each song clicks, it suits my preference for a cohesive collection of songs over randomized playlists.

Rating: 6/10

$uicideboy$ "Long Term Effects Of Suffering" (2021)

 

Following up on Sing Me A Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation, this prior sophomore record has solidified my warmth for this duo. Where the last album swayed in quality, Long Term Effects Of Suffering hits focused! A dreary, creepy crawly mood permeates as slick aesthetics provide the groove and enjoyment. Glued together by themes of personal pains, the sullen, bleak, rain soaked atmosphere sits front and center.

A few tracks offer a slight respite. 5 Grand At 8 To 1, New Profile Pic & Forget It drift into warmer tones with tonal echos of Jazz Hop emerging under its trendy Trap percussion. Then there is Bleach, leaning face first into the flames, embracing the burn, a gritty banger to say the least. Whats left explores a broody melancholy, reminiscent of Emo Rap when wearisome acoustic guitars and glum pianos emerge.

Consistently across its lean thirty minute duration do the percussive arrangements delight. Noticeably apparent on this outing, its snare kick grooves are elongated. Occasionally lethargic and sparse as shuffling hi-hats offer erratic pitch shifting patterns in the space between. Done right here, it challenges the usual 4/4 loop of Hip Hop beats. The cohesion with instrumentals is fantastic despite a strong contrast.

Stars of the show, Ruby Da Cherry and Scrim, offer brutal honesty with their personal struggles laid bare. Its a topicality expected, however consistency really elevated the message. Shared experiences offer relief, forge connection and its hard for their openness not to endear. Last time the stints of braggadocio broke up the flow. This time they forged a fine album that you want to play from front to back each time.

Rating: 7/10

City Morgue "City Morgue Vol 2 As Good As Dead" (2019)

Following up on last years Hell Or Highwater, the young duo ZillaKami and Sosmula are at it again fronting another arsenal of overtly aggressive songs to grab your attention. Vaguely known Trap Metal, the duo represent a strain of modern Rap so harsh and aggressive it picks up the metallic nod. They actually deploy distortion guitars on a couple of tracks but the main ploy is dark and sinister sampling amplified by harsh, snappy drum grooves and over the top vocals. The pair spit their rhymes with ferocious energy, many words bordering a shout in its aggression. Unsurprisingly the lyrical content is mean and murderous but ultimately hollow.

Although the theming is of my flavor, the music lacks depth and songwriting is routine. Most the tracks aim to deploy throat grabbing lyrics for a harsh hook, often over played. The two exchange threatening verses that mostly revolve around excessive violence, gang life and boisterous show boating. It quickly turns dull as the continual aggression becomes monotone. I found my attention mostly picking up on what became annoying, like the "woah woah woah woah" hook on the track Woah. Its monotonous, repetitive and just doesn't add much to the song.

The instrumentals behind them are also a bit routine, only a few beats stand out in the slew of songs. Initially most are impressive as they reach to a particularly gritty nastiness however they are often very repetitive with the short loop filling up these mostly short songs. One notable thing that does occur is a handful of songs leaning into Emo Rap territory. Moody guitars drop in and the lyrics pivot to dreary self reflection and depressive outlooks. Very akin to Lil Peep but nowhere near his level of charm. Overall a disappointing follow up with not much to take away from.

Favorite Tracks: Draino, 16 Toes, Peeling Scabs

Rating: 4/10

Lil Peep "Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 2" (2018)

I was very keen to get into this record after enjoying Pt. 1. Ive grown rather fond of Lil Peep and his "Emo Rap". He reminds me fondly of youthful attitudes, his angle of expression is an inevitability of obvious influences converging in a modern era of connectivity. From what I can tell, this record was assembled posthumously. With lots of unfinished material left behind, producers Smokeasac and IIVI put together another album of the same tone, feeling and theme however its twice in length with thirteen cuts.

Both producers worked with him on the first project however this one is a notably sharper product. The song structures are rooted in a popular format, the beats are tidy and everything feels well formulated. Its another collection of shuffling trap percussive arrangements and emotive, melancholic guitars to create stiring, dark, introspective atmospheres. The temperament is very much an extension of the first record, tightly tuned with no artistic progression given the situation. Part two is a fitting title.

Unsurprisingly Lil Peep is again a lonely and troubled figure on this record. His plain language shapes up with sharper poetry in some of the hooks. His lyrics are mostly direct, flavored by profanity and fueled by his pains, giving a intimate window into his life at times. Each song has its seasoning and his approach to the memorable Life Is Beautiful as sadly entrenched with sarcasm. Its dark, depressing but the expression is wonderful as his bitter sweet is birthed into musical art.

The whole project flows with a very steady consistency that does let any favorites leap out. The last few tracks always seem to leap out at me though. The darkly, esoteric strummed guitar tune in the backdrop reminds me fondly of the sort of acoustic break you might hear on a Metal record. In fact the guitars are a continual source of pleasure. Great record, notably more "pop" and loses out on the impact of the first album but ends on a very high note with its best numbers.

Favorite Tracks: White Girl, Falling Down, Sunlight On Your Skin

Rating: 7/10

Lil Peep "Come Over When Your Sober, Pt.1" (2017)

I've had negative connotations attached to this artist, Its lingered in the back of my mind from a few years back, his Hellboy mixtape, which I did not enjoy to say the least. Having forgotten about it I went into this record with little expectations and yet found a brilliance I have to nod the head and give props too. The young Lil Peep is now deceased having died of a drug overdose before a show on his tour bus. Drug abuse is a key theme of his music and from what Ive heard he advocated against their use but there is no doubt the music glorifies them as it does his over struggles which is the musics focal point. Its timing seems like a reflection to Americas prescription drug epidemic.

With each spin of this record its components become quite clear, Trap percussion lines shuffle and rattle out grooves with distinct tonal qualities. Clunky clicks and claps pop between shimmering hi-hats bursts and sub kicks that have a synthetic quality. Behind them gorgeous, sad and melancholy guitar licks pluck simple, steadily paced single note melodies alongside additional guitars, thick, atmospheric synths and a deep, filling baseline laying down foundational blocks. The chemistry is fantastic, dark broody instrumentals with a gleam of light emanating that will never escape its grasp.

Its Lil Peep himself who is that light, a clearly troubled soul who's bearing it all upfront as his outlet with the music. His voice is fantastic, a deep and rustic tone, he finds a soft spot to speak/sing words through a whirl of cloudy reverb. His pace and delivery comes from an easy energy. It doesn't manifest specifically into hooks as much of his simple language and lack of range but it makes for plenty of sing-along-able stints in the tracks, even his faster paced "raps" are easy to pick up on and learn.

The lyrics were originally the least likeable aspect but repetition has revealed much authenticity in his themes. Initially they felt teenage, angsty and glorified but Lil Peep was only twenty one and I think a younger me would really of lapped this up. "Sometimes life gets fucked up, that's why we get fucked up", far from poetic and insightful but through its cursory language and surface level wording a clear picture of his struggles emerge. Emotional pains, relationship woes and drug abuse dominate the tone, as he wallows in the struggle with little positive to grasp onto. "I wish I didn't have a heart to love you", powerful words but deeply saddening too.

Instrumentally, this record has a very concise and expressive sound. Its a brilliant stage for a troubled young man to let his emotions roll out and despite its depressing nature the glorification takes hold and elevates these into anthems in the best songs. I'm truly impressed, at first I thought I would enjoy it from a distance but Ive found myself sucked in to his world and reminded of what youth can be like. His death is a real shame however the tone of the music makes it sound almost inevitable. Next up I will get part two which was released posthumously last year.

Favorite Tracks: Awful Things, U Said, The Brightside

Rating: 7/10