No Frills Reviews

Bruiser Wolf My Story Got Stories

Street slinging, pimpin’ and bad bitches; this is pretty much clichéd territory for hip-hop. But coming from the mouth of Bruiser Wolf it sounds like an exotic new strain of rap. Behind his humour, eccentricity, and impeccably polished facade, lies weary wisdom and a subtle menace. Like his Bruiser Brigade label-mate, Danny Brown, Wolf is one of the most unique voices in the game.

Following his 2021 debut, Dope Game Stupid, there was a risk for Wolf that he became seen as a gimmick. His solution seems to have been to go bigger; bigger beats, bigger hooks, bigger punchlines. While he’s still covering a lot of the same ground, recounting tales from his former life in the dope game, that ‘go big’ approach means this feels like a step forward as he delivers an album that’s full of contrasts.

Best tunes: 2 Bad, Dope Boy, Crack Cocaine

Full Review

Angry Blackmen The Legend of ABM

I’m not sure what epitomises this album best. It may be that an angry refrain of “FUCK OFF” is perhaps the record’s biggest hook. Or maybe it’s the artwork; eerie and ominous, implying unspoken horrors lurking beneath. This is noisy, industrial rap transporting you to a post-apocalyptic dystopia. It sounds like they’ve been given a template of early Tyler, The Creator and Odd Future, with an instruction to make it darker and generally less palatable. I say this as a positive BTW. They rap amidst a soundtrack of disaster; distant explosions, machine gun firing lines, and glitching electronics.

This is the sound of creeping dread; of systems creaking under the pressure, and a world being torn apart slowly but violently. But as bleak as it may sound, these beats are kinda banging though and the Chicago duo are captivating rappers, capable of seamlessly blending the fantastic with the matter-of-fact. They really bring the humanity to this hellscape, making it genuinely enjoyable rather than a purely experimental exercise.

Best tunes: FNA, GRIND, Dead Men Tell No Lies

Full Review

Benny The Butcher Everybody Can’t Go

On his Def Jam debut, there’s a real sense of Benny The Butcher being caught between two worlds. He’s being pulled towards the bright lights of the major label shine, but he can’t get too complacent and take his eyes off the streets. This is exemplified in the blow-for-blow production split between The Alchemist and Hit-Boy.

The Alchemist represents where he came from, with gritty paranoid beats to complement his drug tales. And, while he has already worked with him previously, Hit-Boy represents the new; a world of R&B choruses and Snoop Dogg features. Rather than feeling like a culture clash, this contrast feels natural, with Benny rising to the bigger, sweeter Hit-Boy beats one moment, before getting right back to the grind with the old Griselda crew the next. He’s enjoying his spoils, but he’s still hungry for more.

Best tunes: BRON, Big Dog, How To Rap

Awks Cord WANNA SMOKE?

On her debut EP, LA’s Awks Cord, can sometimes feel like a rapper still finding her voice. Like on the anti-anti-abortion protest of roe V wade where she manages to convey feelings of sadness, anger, and defiance but doesn’t quite match it in her lyrics. But there’s a lot to like here, suggesting she’s on track for bigger and better things. With a flow that’s somewhere between Cardi and a petulant teenager, plus the ability to slip into sultry slow jam mode; she seems capable of pulling out a hook for all occasions. Working with a strong selection of spacey trap-pop beats, this is a well-polished debut showing plenty of promise.

Standout tune: IKWTFYM

95Smokey & Tapwaterfish KOI POND

New Jersey’s 95Smokey is pitching for a spot in the pantheon of rap’s great wordsmiths. With his third EP, it can feel like he’s giving you an education, from video games to Japanese aquarists (I didn’t even know what an aquarist was, never mind that there’s famous ones). As he alludes to on Amano, he treats his lyricism like an athlete does their body; something to be sculpted in constant pursuit of perfection. With his laid-back and suitably smokey vocals, it’s easy to tap-in and lose yourself in his engaging wordplay. No doubt assisted by the cinematic psychedelia of Tapwaterfish’s production, which takes you on a journey from a triumphant victory lap to a weary comedown. A rapper and a producer well worth keeping an eye on.

Standout tune: THE GREATEST SHOW