What can I say, I knew I was in for a great night knowing The Band Camino was coming to Dallas. Being a band that I have been listening to for a few years now, there isn’t a song by them that I didn’t like. The whole way to The Factory in Deep Ellum, I was giddy with anticipation because I couldn’t wait to sing their songs live. They were joined by the bands flor and Hastings. Everyone in the room was pumped with anticipation, about to have the time of their lives. Let’s dive into the show.
Starting off the show was Hastings. Right out of the gate, they ran into some technical difficulties that delayed their performance. It seemed as if their computer wasn’t wanting to connect to the sound system, so once fixed, they only had enough time for three songs. I could see how this might disappoint some fans, but it wasn't their fault and didn’t get us down. The moment they figured it out, it was game time, and they really brought the energy to the stage. The three songs they chose included “Blank Me”, “Chapstick”, and “Take Mine”, and all were fantastic. This was my first time seeing them and when they come back through, I will be there.
Next up was flor and boy did they come in hot. They really gave off that exciting 80s vibe with their stage appearance. The lead singer, Zach Grace, was such a great front man to watch while shooting from the photo pit. Being a band that I also had never heard prior to the show, I was again catching myself really enjoying their vibe and music. The Band Camino really did a great job picking the bands they brought on this tour and all complimented them in amazing ways. Some of the songs I really enjoyed from them were “hold on”, “dancing around”, and “back again”. I really can’t wait to see them again.
Finally it was time for the main attraction, The Band Camino. I don’t think I’ve been this excited about a headliner in a long time. This being the largest show they have ever played (with estimated attendance of nearly 4500 people), I had a sneaky suspicion this performance was going to amazing and possibly one of the best I’ve ever seen. Given the number of songs that are 100% hits, the crowd would surely be singing the entire time and they did not disappoint during the epic 20-song setlist. Jeffery Jordan, one of their lead singers, gave us all of his energy on stage as was running around and jumping constantly. What was super neat about them was having two lead singers, and that was something I didn’t realize before. Spencer Stewart really did a great job complimenting Jeffery’s voice on stage. They went on to play some of my favorite songs like “2/14”, “Who Do You Think You Are?”, “See Through”, and even gave Dallas an exclusive performance of “Crying Over You” that hasn’t been played on any other date. Closing out the show with one of their biggest songs, “Daphne Blue”, The Band Camino made everyone’s evening a night to remember.
The Band Camino’s Thursday night performance performance was electric and had the Dallas crowd going wild. All of the opening bands were incredible and brought an amazing amount of energy to the night. If you get a chance, make sure to catch this tour – it’s just that good. And be sure to follow the Hunnypot Live for all the latest concert news – we’ll keep you in the loop with more incredible coverage and killer photos that will make your heart sing!
Hunnypot Live #460, a Pagan spring holiday.
Special/Sexy/Sleazy performed live music with Easter eggs of musical influences.
ibeshocker sprung into hip hop action (with guest vocals by Lauren and A-G Lexi's)
Kevvie3TM may have died in a motorcycle crash and resurrected himself a few days later to perform solid hip hop and rap for the masses. DEDUXION dropped tracks and hyped the traveled all the way from Modesto fans.
+ AFTERPARTY w. HOT TUB JOHNNIE
Photos & recap - Jeffrey Gray
We are special/sexy/sleazy, we live in Los Angeles, and we make loud, aggressive, feedback-drenched indie rock. Influenced by the heartfelt shrieks and squeals of bands like Modest Mouse and Pavement, the energetic guitar-powered pop of bands like Everclear and Third Eye Blind, the dense compositions and non-stop energy of bands like Bomb the Music Industry and Prince Daddy, and the guitar wizardry and showmanship of classic rock and hair metal, special/sexy/sleazy blend joy with sadness, introspection with exuberance, and invite you to have as much fun as you can stomach.
Led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Jake Medeiros, special/sexy/sleazy also includes Brie Goldsobel (vocals/keys), Brandon Ferguson (guitar/keys), Summer Wetmore (bass), Katie Wong (keys), and Joey D’Alfonso (drums). We just finished our debut self-titled record, special/sexy/sleazy. The record was produced by Ryan Pollie (Los Angeles Police Department, Ryan Pollie, Teddy Grossman), mixed by Chris Baglivo (Spirit of the Beehive, Mannequin Pussy, Hop Along), and mastered by Mark Chalecki (Tokyo Police Club, Islands, Joyce Manor). The album has not been released yet, but will be soon
Nevin Shoker, better by his stage name ibeshocker, is an Indian-American rising hip-hop artist, audio engineer, and songwriter originating from Modesto, California. Now based in West Hollywood, ibeshocker gives a refreshing taste and sound to hip-hop through his story-telling lyricism. Shocker’s journey through music began with his mother and the inspiration he drew from watching her sing. As he grew older, he found a hobby in writing poems which later developed into head-turning lyrics. Inspired by nostalgia and romance, ibeshocker delivers music that will transfix and transport listeners to different time periods in their lives, allowing them to reflect on their past, present, and future relationships.
Kevvie3TM is a recording artist/ song writer from Northern California, currently based out of West Hollywood. Since deciding to come out to Los Angeles he has started working on his debut album “S.P.L.I.T.” which will be announced in early 2022. He works with a independent musical collective of artists, producers, and engineers called “Open Studios”. This has led to more networking opportunities, meeting and collaborating with other creatives such as videographers, photographers etc.
In the course of 2021 Kevvie3TM has landed a song featured with rapper ibeshocker titled “Melrose Blues” in a full-length feature film Pride Jewel. He has recently been covered in the Voyager magazine here in LA and has his lyrics cited in Rap Genius. His main single out now is titled “Memories”. Memories has been play-listed on various Spotify lists and accumulated 30k views on YouTube. Kevvie3TM stated “Memories opened the door to many opportunities and has been a large reason I’m privileged to perform for places such as the HUNNYPOT LIVE at The Mint. I am focusing on performing and going on tour soon”. You can find him on any platform under the handle Kevvie3TM
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On Saturday April 9th, Dayseeker and crew brought the heat to The Loft in Dallas, Texas. As someone who has been following them from quite some time, seeing them with We Came As Romans last October, I was so excited for this intimate show. Being a smaller venue, everyone was in for a great night up close with each of the bands. Dayseeker was joined by Thornhill, Holding Absence, Caskets, & Future You.
Up first were Dallas natives, Future You. I had never heard their music before but after that night, I will be following their future releases. Having only 2 songs live on Spotify, this brand-new band is set to take a stake in the scene after this performance opening for these insane acts. I think my favorite song they played had to be “Let Go”.
A neat thing about this tour was Dayseeker sought out international bands to have come tour with them. Most of the other bands had never done a tour in the states so for us, it was cool to be at the show. One of those, and next up, was London natives, Caskets. I had heard a lot about them from some friends of mine and I really loved the energy they brought to the stage. From song to song, they continued to keep the crowd engaged and off their feet. Can’t wait to see them again soon!
Following their set was Holding Absence, another one that was touring in the states for the first time they said. What I really enjoyed about their set was how each song had fantastic melody lines. Their lead singer, Lucas Woodland, had an awesome voice and was hitting some insane notes. I realized straight away that this band was the real deal and so look forward to see how high they will climb. Awesome!
Next up were Australia based band, Thornhill. They have been popping up in different playlists that I’ve been listening to recently, so I was very interested in seeing them live. It was something about their image and presentation that I found super interesting. They hit the stage and immediately I was blown away by the way their lead singer sang over the heavy riffs. From time to time he would let out an intense scream. It was quite impressive to say the least. I understood why they have been popping up everywhere I’ve been consuming music. Such a powerful stage performance and a band I know I will be staying in the loop of.
Finally, Dayseeker was ready to take the stage. I have been emotion their drummer put into every song as well. I feel like the snare was just about ready to pop by how hard he was hitting it. I really enjoyed their two songs “Afterlife” and “Gravity” from the set. Such a great band! I have been listening to them for a couple years now ever since I discovered their "Hello" cover by Adele. This was their first ever headlining tour and the have been selling shows out left and right on this run, Dallas being one of them. Rory Rodriguez has one of the best voices in the scene right now and he is as good live as he is in the studio. The stage was set, lights were coming up and then Dayseeker hit the stage. For being a smaller stage setup, they made it seem big with the production. It was exciting to hear all my favorite songs by them like “Burial Plot”, “Drunk”, “Neon Grave”, and “Sleeptalk”. Having seen them not too long before this, they brought so much more energy to this show. They really gave it their all. I cannot wait to see them continue to succeed and sell out even bigger venues.
Overall, Dayseekers and their Sleepwalk Tour was a phenomenal show and exceeded my expectations on all levels. It was a performance for the ages and one you definitely won't want to miss!
Country rock outfit Blackberry Smoke has successfully developed a loyal fanbase with great songs, relentless touring and high-energy performances. Formed in 2000 in Atlanta, the band has released 7 full length studio albums, with the last five reaching the top 10 of Billboard’s country charts. Demonstrating a cross-over appeal to both country and rock fans, the band has also performed well on Indie and Rock charts. After years of hearing rave reviews about Blackberry Smoke’s live shows, I finally had a chance to catch them in concert at sold out Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA.
Waiting for the show to start I couldn’t help but notice all the musical equipment on stage. I joked, “Is an army playing? How many dudes are in this band”? As the opening country rocker “All Over the Road” kicked in, I found the answer to be 7 band members – and holy (blackberry?) smoke they sounded fantastic! It was clear right away that the live show’s heartbeat was charismatic primary songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Charlie Starr. Singing with passion and conviction, Starr danced and played guitar all over the stage. Starr was a hoot, often bantering humorously with the audience in between songs. Noting the venue’s beach city location, he apologized for not knowing any Beach Boys songs. Guitarists Paul Jackson and Benji Shanks made for a well-coordinated three-axe attack where each guitar part added a different element to the song. Keyboardist Brandon Still provided a southern rock flare with nicely placed piano and organ accents. The rhythm section consisted of brothers Brit (drums) and Richard Turner (bass) as well as percussionist Preston Holcomb to effectively blend everything into one cohesive sound.
The enthusiastic crowd were treated to a setlist longer than a CVS receipt – 22 songs ranging from kickass rockers like my all-time favorite “Waiting for the Thunder” to gentle Americana folk like “Old Enough to Know”. The set showcased many songs off Blackberry Smoke’s latest album, the 2021 homage to their home state, You Hear Georgia If you gravitate more to up-tempo rock jams like me, you’ll enjoy new tunes “Live it Down”, “All Rise Again”, and “All Over the Road”. After witnessing the live performance, my new album favorite is the spirited folky blues rock track “Old Scarecrow”. I’m a sucker for clever metaphors and I love this one – comparing a mindset of tireless work ethic, unwavering beliefs, and desire to live and let live to that of a scarecrow. Interesting side note, the tune was co-written by Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blackfoot. The first verse/chorus is restrained with just low-volume blues guitar and keys. Drums come in on the second verse to build the crescendo. Finally, the second chorus erupts with roaring power chords with slide guitar and organ ablaze adding to the magic.
Like an old scarecrow
Standin' in the sun
Day after day
His work ain't never done
I ain't ever gonna change my ways
Make my stand for the rest of my days
Whether you’re a fan of country, a fan of rock, or something in between, these crafty musicians from Georgia will appeal to you in some way. Offering witty lyrics that resonate to everyday people, blending a creative mix of blues, country, rock, folk and Americana, and treating fans to an entertaining and energetic road show, there is nothing left to do but inhale deeply with a nice big hit of Blackberry Smoke!
Rock on and be well! - Greg Vitalich
When you think about rap battles, you’re likely to think of the major platforms such as URL, RBE, and KOTD. These leagues have racked up millions of YouTube views by farming talent, building storylines, and coordinating matchups at the perfect times of battlers’ careers. At the time this review was published, Hitman Holla vs. Tay Roc was at 3.2 million views, Dizaster vs. Dumfoundead was at 2.7 million views, and Cassidy vs. Arsonal was at 2.8 million views. But you know what battle has more Youtube views than all of them? Ketchup vs. Mustard on Illmac’s Rap Off Battles. As of today, that battle (voiced by Dizaster [Ketchup], Lush One [Baking Soda], and Illmac [Mustard]) has racked up 3.3 million views. Yes, I’m talking about the cartoon: across all platforms, it’s racked up 30+ million views. I know it’s not the 40-minute battle we’re used to, but that’s still a lot of eyeballs and they’re onto something here.
Since 2018, Illmac and the team have gone onto produce several cartoons including Dog vs. Cat (voiced by Hollow Da Don [Dog], Lush One [Pigeon], and Carter Deems [Cat]) and the Mustard Freestyle (voiced by Method Man). As objectives for growth became clear, it was understood that money would be needed to achieve the vision. Cartoons and animation are not cheap. Conversations ensued with major TV networks and production studios. A deal was almost signed with a big studio but creative differences and ultimately the COVID19 pandemic shut down these traditional avenues of funding and production. Around this time, the NFT and Web3 space took off as alternative forms of funding, and Rap Off decided to move forward with the community/membership based funding to preserve the integrity of the product. You might roll your eyes when you hear me mention NFTs in this context due to the pump-and-dump scams we’ve all heard about: companies generate loads of interest, crowd fund loads of money, and are incapable of producing value after the fact. That’s why these guys are doing it differently. They’re putting the value out first: making cartoons, throwing events, and showing the scene that they’re here for the long haul.
The event itself was a real family affair. It reminded me a lot of the Ruin Your Show event in LA that I covered for Hunnypot back in 2020. You can read up on that event HERE. This wasn’t the biggest event, but there were a lot of familiar faces, a bartender, a BBQ man, and merch tables for the artists and fans to interact. One thing that separated this event from other battle events is they included additional entertainment that was not limited to battles. Before the battles began, Chase Moore and Fredo took the stage under their moniker, Water Buffalos, to start off the event. After their performance we hopped right into the three battles on the card: Lu Cipher vs. Thesaurus, Frak vs. Danny Myers, and Bigg K vs. Jey The Nitewing. I have clear winners in the first two, and I think Bigg K vs. Jey The Nitewing was a toss-up. Following the battles, Illmac took the stage and broke down the history of Rap Off and chronicled the series of events that led to today (which I attempted to summarize earlier in this review). We paused a few times to watch the aforementioned cartoons and the debut of their newest, NFT-adjacent cartoon, Bored Ape vs. Cryptopunk. After the cartoon watch party and Illmac’s speech, the Seattle/San Francisco rap duo Blimes and Gab took the stage for a generous set to shut the venue down.
This was a great event. I’m excited to see where the Rap Off crew takes this, combining rap battles and cartoons in both the metaverse and in real life. Shout out to the Rap Off team – Illmac, Rhyme Combinator, Butterhoops, Frak, and Pass. Kudos to the Ruin Your Day team for handling the filming/stream and DJ Smokey Martinez and Lush One for holding it down. Rumor in the metaverse is another real-life Rap Off event might be coming to a city near you this summer. Keep your eyes peeled.
Hunnypot Live #459 was more serious than a big baby twitter shareholder.
Brian J. Miller hit the hot tub with his music supervision success story with the NFL and a wave of synth playlist.
It was a night of the return of the living dead ass sick live performances.
Indica lit up the stage again with his brand of hip-hop pop futurism.
Mystical Joyride took us back to higher consciousness beats for body moves.
J. Character and guests hit back with party rap and roll.
Hot Tub Johnnie filled in with new and classic sounds on the decks and everyone danced themselves dirty.
Brian J. Miller is a LA-based music supervisor with a piece of his heart in his native New York. Currently at the NFL Network, his resume boasts storied outlets such as Channel 1 News, Current TV and MTV. A lifelong pianist, during the pandemic, he took up electric bass, and he counts Bob Babbitt, Norwood Fisher and Este Haim among influences. He dreams of bringing back the wedding band, and is seeking co-conspirators.
In addition to music, he loves being a dad, puzzling for sport, hitting the Peloton and crushing breakfast tacos (in that order). Follow his weekly playlists on Spotify @oldschoolbrian.
In 2016 Indica debuted his single 'She So Crazy' on The FADER gaining underground recognition. Soon after he released his debut self titled project, Indica. Singles 'Kumbaya' and 'Ahead/ Level Up' display his relaxed, melodic flow patterns that are not limited to one genre, as he can cross into Latin Reggaeton flows effortlessly for example, his single 'Jugamos'.
Experimenting with sonics Indica released a second project RETROMODERN in 2019, a 1980's themed album produced by Andrew Luce; Inspired by Daft Punk and Tame Impala. Indica is currently independent.
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Mystical Joyride is the cosmic duo and genre-fluid Psychedelic World Pop band hailing from Los Angeles. This married couple Leah and Joel fly their musical spaceship in between the ratchet and the spiritual.
Their live sets are an energetic and immersive experience of meditation and straight up shaking that ass with electronics and live instrumentation as well guest vocalist, Bengali sensation, Arzeen Kamal. Get ready to dance and let your soul play as Mystical Joyride delivers a unique and unforgettable experience.
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Jordan Character a/k/a J. Character a global jet-setter, has traveled from the USA to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul Korea, Chengdu and other Asian cities. Mashing up all of his cultural and diverse relationships and experiences which comes through his music, Character has created his own lane as a Bilingual Artist, while majoring in International Studies/Chinese at Norwich Military Academy and graduating Magna Cum Laude with an excellence in Chinese language proficiency
At the age of 3 months, Jordan Character’s ears were being developed as he accompanied his mother, a singer, who carried him alongside her to band rehearsals, theater productions and creative writing classes. Character by the age of 8, was reading treble and bass clef together, while playing upright bass and trumpet.
Born in the colorful City of New Orleans, LA, Character was accustomed to seeing Marching Bands, hearing Gospel, Jazz, Hip-Hop and seeing Second-line Bands, which passed in front of his home before Hurricane Katrina whisked his family away to.
His songs, “Part To (Butter Up), Insides, and Charlie Sheen" are inspired through his travels as he seldom resides in Los Angeles, CA, a place he finds full of inspiration. Inspired by Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, LL Cool J and A$AP Rock, J. Character represents the new age Rapper and Songwriter bringing forth the Culture of New Orleans and a history of musicians who are home grown from the South.
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Indica may be strain specific in name but our boy’s sound gives the duality of a hybrid time and time again. Always looking to explore new dimensions of his range, Indica’s single "Running Thru Spacetime" earns the label of one hot and contested genre. Mumble rap has been accused of many things, but who could deny its effectiveness in conveying a can’t be bothered attitude so many other genres took too long to spit out. Sure, one could enunciate, but these rappers are, as the song says, Running Thru Spacetime, not space and time.
In his latest single Indica commits to this en vogue realm, while the "Running Thru Spacetime" music video hearkens to a 'Retromodern' aesthetic that Indica has crooned over before. (See single of the same name). Donning a reptilian space mask at the start of the video, Indica embodies the shifty energy of the song. Geared up, he departs on his voyage. The road through the ether is long, where true length is beyond measure. Here, we can imagine the space in question to be Los Angeles and the time somewhere congealed between 1981 and now. Whirring visuals cut between filtered BTS shots, graphics of a DeLorean flying through time/space and Indica vibing in a casual black and white ensemble. He occasionally xeroxes himself into a fan of Indicas.
The well placed, retro effects elevate the production and continue the thematic nostalgia that Indica imprints in his work. While "Running Thru Spacetime" gives a more present sound, it feels comfortable to say that with its packaging we've all gone back to the 80s. Leftover with the lethargy of any good Indica.
-Robyn Dee
After hearing positive “buzz” from friends and enjoying her recent interview with Eddie Trunk on the Sirius XM Radio show Trunk Nation, I made sure to catch rising rock goddess Dorothy perform at Music Box in San Diego. I knew Dorothy (full name Dorothy Martin) could sing, but what truly touched me was her inspiring story and message. Although she struggled with addiction, abusive relationships, and other lowlights, she had the resilience to channel that pain and anguish into music that was inspiring and positive. On Trunk Nation, Dorothy was very honest about her past, “I don’t mind telling my story because, I feel like if don’t, I miss out on the opportunity to inspire people or help someone who might be struggling”.
Signed with Jay-Z label Roc Nation and recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine in their list of 50 Best New Artists of 2014, Dorothy has enjoyed increased success and growing popularity over the course of two full-length albums and a few EPs. A few select standouts tracks include “Wicked Ones” from her 2015 debut studio album Rockisdead and the uplifting “Flawless” from her second album 28 Days in the Valley. Now Dorothy is about to unveil her third full-length album, Gifts from the Holy Ghost, to be released April 22nd. The first single “Rest in Peace” is incredible – a moody, dark, intense, heavy anthem celebrating newly found freedom from an evil force.
You can't hang your chains on me
When your six feet deep
This heart ain't yours to bleed
Now that yours no longer beats
Hallelujah, I'm over you yeah
I buried you, oh Lord, you're dead to me
The powerfully emotional lyrics seem to suggest an unremorseful celebration of an evil person’s death. But understanding Dorothy’s story, I’m thinking this song is an inspired self-reflection about defeating past personal demons. Truly brilliant tune both musically and lyrically. Apparently, I’m not the only one impressed as “Rest in Peace” made the Top 20 at Active Rock Radio charts in March and scored four million streams worldwide according to Blabbermouth.net.
Music Box was impressively packed with mostly young music fans excited to witness Dorothy kick off her Gifts from the Holy Ghost tour. The band erupted into a frenzied funky heavy instrumental guitar shred jam for several minutes to send a clear message - Dorothy was coming to rock your asses off! With a beaming smile, Dorothy emerged and got the show rocking with the catchy swamp stomping “Down to the Bottom”. Dorothy’s live voice was such a treat, wow! It was so refreshing to hear a female vocalist sing so powerfully and effortlessly over the top of loud hard rocking music.
Dorothy seemed to have as much fun on her tour’s opening night as the fans. With her long black hair flying wildly, Dorothy sang beautifully and danced gracefully all over the stage, joyfully laughing and interacting with bandmates and fans alike. She truly delivered an entertaining rock show. Now we eagerly await the release of her new album April 22nd!
I must also mention one of the opening acts, the hard blues rockers Joyous Wolf. These guys have all the key elements in place to be bigtime successful. Signed to Roadrunner Records, the band out of Orange County, CA band has enjoyed some radio love with a great cover of “Mississippi Queen” and the single “Mother Rebel” (from their 2019 EP - A Place in Time). The quartet’s debut album should be out soon, but for now check out the first single “Fearless”. Joyous Wolf’s ferociously entertaining and enthusiastic live performance genuinely won the fans over. Charismatic lead singer Nick Reese was an epic showman possessed by a rock ‘n roll demon. The night’s highlight was Nick signaling the crowd to form a small gap down the middle of the floor, where he proceeded to jump off stage and execute somersaults, splits, and dance his way up and down the gap as the band jammed. A modern rock version of Moses parting the Red Sea! Now that’s rock ‘n roll.
Rock on and be well! Greg Vitalich
Lil Skies and Landon Cube linked up again. This is a duo that never disappoints. When I first heard their collaborations on Red Roses and Nowadays circa 2018, I thought it was blasphemy that the two would go on to focus on their own solo careers independent of each other. The tandem together is the perfect blend of 2020s soulful rap melodies and vibey storytelling lyrics. Their newest collaboration proved no different.
Whether its gun violence or drug overdoses, hip hop has a serious mortality problem. Lil Skies and Landon Cube’s newest song/video, Play This At My Funeral (stylized: PlayThisAtMyFuneral), is an ode to those hip hop has lost far too young. Skies and Cube are found donned in black singing/rapping in a church, a morgue, riding in a hearse, and ultimately the graveyard. The video also follows a couple of mysterious women who I presume are widows as they exit the church, pick the petals off a rose, and ultimately throw them into a grave.
The camerawork on the video is A1. It includes smooth transitions, wide angles of beautiful gothic architecture/stained glass, FPV drone footage, and tells a grim story through it all. The team behind this one didn’t disappoint. Check it out for yourself!
Edgard Nathaniel Sarratt III, better known as his stage name Midwxst, is an emerging young rapper. The South Carolina born, Indiana raised rapper has gained popularity in the last couple years through Soundcloud and has become the face of hyperpop music (a new genre born from integrating different styles of music, pulling influences from rap, emo lo-fi trap, dubstep and trance music, creating a lane of its own). Within many young artists rising in this new style of music, Midwxst stands out with his unique style. You cannot talk about hyperpop without mentioning the rapper himself.
After a huge successful year with a fire mixtape, SUMMER03, and an EP, BACK IN ACTION, he is back with a heater EP, Better Luck Next Time. The joint features 9 short tracks with one feature by Brakence on the track “Okay”. The EP has a very personal touch to it. The interlude “Better Luck Next Time” starts with Midwxst expressing his feelings about heartbreak, self worth and life. His ability to switch form smooth melodies to bursts of energy is remarkably impressive. Not only is he gifted in his vocal abilities Midwxst also is an amazing producer. You can really feel the mix of sounds throughout the project, ranging from soft guitar strumming to noisy bleeding bass drops. The second track “Riddle” is a perfect example of the tempo changes. The song starts with an upbeat tempo with soft vocals and suddenly drops into a slightly of a punk style for a bit and then back to the upbeat rhythm. It took me by surprise! It was my first time experiencing such sudden but yet seamless changes in style in one song.
Some other tracks that stood out to me are “I Know You Hate Me”, “Switching Sides”, “Misery” and “On My Mind”. With incredible confidence in his voice and music style, the Juice WRLD and XXXTENTACION inspired rapper is ready to put his heart & soul into his music. Midwxst wants to make music that is an extension of him and not influenced by other. This EP screams of that and puts him in a category of his own. With this project he takes a step closer towards his dreams and mark my words not long before he’s in the mainstream. Keep an eye out to see him blow up in the next year or two. If you’ve never listened to hyperpop music I’d suggest you start with this EP, it won’t disappoint you.