Music Monday 04/25: It’s Almost Time To Float

It’s been a while, welcome back to New Music Monday. This week we’ve got some fun releases, some returns, some singles, and with some DMV artists getting their chance to shine. Time to quit talking. Let’s get on with this week’s hits!

Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry

Ah yes, Viet’s favorite artist. Pusha T released his album It’s Almost Dry years after his last one. This project was very feature heavy, with half of the songs having featured another artist or two. In all honesty the only thing that really caught my attention was the production, as most of it was produced by Pharell and Kanye West. Aside from that, I really was unimpressed with this record. Even some of the features really were just dull. Pusha T’s lyricism and flow really felt below average here and none of the artists who were on the album really picked up his slack. The only thing that made the record even a little interesting were the beats used for most of the track.

Jacques – 5/10

Favorite Tracks: “Brambleton,” “Call My Bluff,” “Neck & Wrist”

Viet – 8.5/10 (THEY SPECIALIZE IN NOT GETTING LOCKED UP AKON) (I GOT THAT LINE)

CLIPSE REUNION WE GOING CRAZYYYYY

Favorite Tracks: “I Pray For You,” featuring Labrinth & MALICE, “Open Air,” “Call My Bluff,” “Diet Coke,” “Brambletone”

redveil – learn 2 swim

After much anticipation, PG County’s’ very own, redveil finally released his new album, learn 2 swim. This album really shows how redveil grew since his last album. The samples and the beats he made has a more smooth, classical sense to it, compared to the rawer style of his previous album, Niagara. This album reminds me of the albums that Ghetto Sage would drop back then, like Saba’s Bucket List Project, to be exact. This album brings you this sense of comfort and really inspires you to believe in yourself. This album is a great introduction to his music and proves that redveil is one of the future’s brightest artists. Plus, he’s local! We hope nothing but the best for him, all love!

Viet – 9/10

Favorite Tracks: “shoulder,” featuring Mekdelawit & Renaissance Mic, “automatic,” featuring Fly Anakin & Overcast, “pg baby”

Jacques – 8/10

Favorite Tracks: “shoulder,” featuring Mekdelawit & Renaissance Mic, “morphine (da ways),” “new info”

Rico Nasty, BKtheRula – “Vaderz”

Aggression at its finest. Maryland’s own Rico Nasty, featuring up and coming rapper, Bktherula collaborated to create the head-bopping track, “Vaderz.” With the guitar rift blasting in the back whilst the base boosts, Rico and BK trade bars about their wild deeds and their “don’t care” attitudes. These two really created something that’d get mosh pits started and crowds jumping. This duo was meant to be and if they ever go at it again, I’d love to hear it. Also; I’ma need the aggression they’re bringing for myself real quick.

Viet – 7/10 (DMV STAND UP)

Jacques – 7/10 (I’m engaged to Rico Nasty btw) (Edit: Lie, Sofia is. Homewrecker.) 

Southside, Travis Scott, Future – “Hold That Heat”

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! TRAVIS AND FUTURE!!!!!!! On Friday, a God-sent track dropped. Future and Travis Scott came together to form the track, “Hold That Heat.” The track was produced by Southside, who did a great job. Scott and Future really worked well together here. Both of their respective verses were good. The chorus was amazing, in my opinion and I definitely feel it was catchy. Scott really delivered here, his feature has me really hyped for his newest work, UTOPIA. Future’s verse was just sensational, but I’d expect nothing from the goat who released Hendrix. Both artists flowed really well on this track and worked really together as a duo. I’m really excited for what the duo may hold in the future, no pun intended.

Jacques – 8/10

Viet – 8/10

Tay Keith, Gunna, Lil Durk – “Lights Off”

An interesting, yet unsurprising collaboration. Gunna and Lil Durk came together to release “Lights Out.” The production of the track wasn’t too bad as it was done by Tay Keith. Gunna and Durk did well together and both of them flowed on the beat nicely. I will say I prefer Gunna’s verse over Durk’s, but I’m also just biased. The song overall was alright, it definitely could’ve been better, but I also could just hate it. Maybe it will grow on me, who knows.  

Jacques – 7.5/10

Viet – 7.5/10

Megan Thee Stallion – “Plan B”

Last Friday, we were given a drop by Megan Thee Stallion titled, “Plan B.” The track was well produced and the chorus is irritating yet catchy, but that isn’t what caught my attention. I will admit I’m not a fan of Megan, but her lyricism here was actually crazy. I won’t say they’re the greatest bars I’ve ever heard, but she was going off on this song. Her word play was great, and her rhyme scheme was good, too.

Jacques – 7.5/10

Viet – 8.5/10

The Kid LAROI – “Thousand Miles”

After snippets after snippets of this song, The Kid LAROI finally drops the anticipated single, “Thousand Miles”. This song serves as a warning to Laroi’s lover; Laroi realizes that this new encounter with a new lover is just another mistake, and knowing himself, he’ll eventually mess up.  Laroi warns his lover to be far away from him in order to get away from the pain he’ll cause her. However, Laroi knows he’ll never be able to escape his problems, as he’s always trapped in the cycle of him making the same mistake again. This song has a heartful guitar playing in the background and is a very sad tale of LAROI falling back into his old ways and the hold his vices have on him.

Viet – 7/10

Jacques – 5/10 (Biased)  

Pink Pantheress, WILLOW – “Where you are”

PINK PANTHERESS??? WILLOW???? TOGETHER????  On Friday we were given a magnificent collaboration between Pink Pantheress and WILLOW called“Where you are.” This was a duo I didn’t know I needed. The production of the track was amazing, and the vocals were just as incredible. The connection between both artists was amazing, they just go perfectly together. I really hope we get to hear more of these two, hopefully on a song or maybe an extended play.  Overall, it’s a beautiful song and I can confidently say that this was my favorite drop of the week.  

Jacques – 9/10

Viet – 8/10

Ab-Soul –  “Hollandaise”

After two years since his last single and five years since his last album, Ab-Soul finally comes back and returns with a fun track called “Hollandaise.” This song has a very trippy feel to it and it talks about how although time has passed since his last dropped, he still never lost his skill. He has captivating trippy bars paired with some fun cocky rhymes.e Soul never skipped a beat and is back like he never left. I’m so ready for his next release.

Viet – 8/10 (SOUL)

Jacques – 7/10

The Weeknd, KAYTRANADA – Out of Time (Kaytranada Remix)

IT’S A KAYTRANDA REMIX, OF COURSE IT’S GONNA BE GOOD. So, as we know, “Out of Time: is probably the best song on The Weeknd’s album, Dawn FM. However, this remix is just pure magic. KAYTRANADA turns:”Out of Time” from a retro sad classic into a funky, dancey,, but still sad, classic. This song is just a wonderful experience and really gets me entering wonderland from the get-go. Honestly, just listen to it and experience it yourself. 

Viet – 8.5/10

Jacques – 7/10

This concludes this week’s rendition of New Music Monday. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. So remember to enjoy the music, nature, relax, and just have fun. Stay safe y’all peace! 🙂