"Burning", 95Smokey & Mahayanabeats
Shava Sadhana, 95Smokey's new EP produced by Mahayanabeats, is named for the tantric ritual of meditating upon a corpse to attain detachment from the physical world and release from the fear of death. In "Burning", Smokey meditates upon the corpse of "an empire that's intended to burn". Pillaged oil fields, endless media consumption and a "red sun risin' over the world" complete his apocalyptic vision. Smokey's flow is world-weary and limber; his urgent cadence makes you anticipate every syllable. Mahayana's beat is a head-nodder mixing ghostly piano and keening brass to create a somber second line for the American Empire.
"The Sun Doesn't Rise", Knowitall & Barto100
“My art’s sharpest on my darkest days” - Alternately somber & braggadocios, Knowitall cements his place as “one of the best undebated still underrated” on “The Sun doesn't Rise”. Kno raps like he's in an action movie over Barto100’s cavernous drums & crashing pianos, with just enough reverb and delay on the vocals to make it all sound gigantic. The track is stuffed with off-kilter bars like "Nobody wanna battle me, every time I spit it feel like my tongue it licked the battery" that draw the listener in and create a mysterious, sinister world.
Shava Sadhana, 95Smokey's new EP produced by Mahayanabeats, is named for the tantric ritual of meditating upon a corpse to attain detachment from the physical world and release from the fear of death. In "Burning", Smokey meditates upon the corpse of "an empire that's intended to burn". Pillaged oil fields, endless media consumption and a "red sun risin' over the world" complete his apocalyptic vision. Smokey's flow is world-weary and limber; his urgent cadence makes you anticipate every syllable. Mahayana's beat is a head-nodder mixing ghostly piano and keening brass to create a somber second line for the American Empire.
"The Sun Doesn't Rise", Knowitall & Barto100
“My art’s sharpest on my darkest days” - Alternately somber & braggadocios, Knowitall cements his place as “one of the best undebated still underrated” on “The Sun doesn't Rise”. Kno raps like he's in an action movie over Barto100’s cavernous drums & crashing pianos, with just enough reverb and delay on the vocals to make it all sound gigantic. The track is stuffed with off-kilter bars like "Nobody wanna battle me, every time I spit it feel like my tongue it licked the battery" that draw the listener in and create a mysterious, sinister world.
"You Know the Name", Emcee Millz & Skip the Kid
Emcee Millz brings her trademark hungry flow and infectious energy on "You Know the Name". Millz's "timing is nothing short of impeccable" as she easily bounces rhymes off Skip the Kid's smoky, assertive funk. The pair's chemistry shines during the verses, and when the chorus hits it's a revelation: cinematic & dripping with soul. Millz raps about her need to carve out an identity as well as a living - to "vent about what I went through, and maybe make enough to not be worried when the rent's due" - the relatable theme, catchy hook & thumping beat make for an undeniable combination.