Track of the Day provides bitesize recommendations of new discoveries and old favourites.
Merging boom-bap throwbacks with woozy, lo-fi soundscapes, The Toxic Crusaders is the team-up of Pacific Northwest rappers Araless and Hash Adams. Taking their name from the cult 90’s kids cartoon, their self-titled debut EP is interspersed with samples from the series (banger of a theme tune BTW) as they take cues from rap greats like Kool Keith and MF Doom; immersing themselves in a comic book-esque dystopia.
The EP highlight is Safe to Say; harking back to golden age rap crews with their bar-for-bar rhyming filled with tongue-twisting wordplay, including a verse from the late Knuckleheadbanga. Producer, Thad Wenatchee, provides a classic, breezy bounce of a beat, which also nods at the more abstract side of the modern underground. While Araless showcases his flair for hooks, with his casually soulful croon. The Toxic Crusaders deliver a dose of wonderfully warped nostalgia.
Listen to the Safe to Say and The Toxic Crusaders EP in all the usual places below:
Safe to Say features on our Hip-Hop Highlights playlist on Spotify, featuring a regular selection of the best new rap releases.
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