September is often a time of transition and with that in mind, I present a fresh update to the playlist for you to sink your teeth into. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone this month with tunes from Joey Badass, Lil Silva, Brent Faiyaz and Kenny Beats’ new projects, as well as some new UK trap from the likes of Blade Brown, K-Trap and new artist BlazeYL. I’ve also been obsessed with Piri and Tommy Villiers and their dance pop track “Words”. The playlist is then rounded out with some R&B hits by Sonder and Ogi, a golden oldie in “Slow Hot Wind” by Sergio Mendes and a hit by a Mykonos icon, Valeron.
Check out the playlist below and make sure to keep adding to the Community Playlist, the winning track will be announced in the coming weeks!
As summer wound down, Kenny Beats has blessed us with one last surprise before we start the descent into autumn. This was an unexpected drop with such little fanfare preceding its release, but Kenny Beats needs no introduction. With this debut solo album/beat tape, Kenny flexes his production chops and gives us listeners a deeper insight into his personal style, unencumbered by the demands of another artist. Whilst still including production and writing credits from a host of big names including Remi Wolf, Vince Staples, Cory Henry and more, LOUIE feels like Kenny Beats distilled and crafted into a more intimate experience compared to his production for others.
There is a clear contrast between his normally ostentatious style present on his albums for some of the most pre-eminent rappers such as Denzel Curry, SL and Rico Nasty, and the sample-based, soulful production seen on LOUIE. Whilst still incorporating some of the trap elements that dominate his discography, he focuses on a modernised boom-bap production style with the drums. Kenny squeezes out as many slick transitions and exquisite ornamentation over almost every track, and the 33 minute run time means nothing gets overdone or feels stale.
Curated for the mood to flow from a more upbeat, sunny energy at the start to slightly more mellow and melancholy towards the end culminating in “Hot Hand” which has the most intricate baseline and spoken word style rap. Inspired by Kenny’s father being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the wide emotional range of the album is palpable. The atmosphere is noticeably different from bright, effervescent tracks like “Hold My Head” and “Still” to the more subdued, minor “That Third Thing” and “Rotten”. The final track “Hot Hand” ends with a chaotic energy echoing the start of the project but with those minor elements still present, which might be an insight into Kenny’s headspace after hearing such devastating news.
With a more personal edge to this project, LOUIE gives listeners a fresh lens to view Kenny Beats. The announcement he produced IDLES’ most recent album seemed like an indication there was more in Kenny’s vault than straight up trap and this album does not disappoint. The inclusion of live instrumentation, some impressively chopped samples, especially on “So They Say” and “Drop 10”, and some funky melodies are a distinct step in a new direction that could point towards a more varied soundscape for his future collaborations.
As one of my personal favourite artists, the announcement for this albwum really piqued my interest. Vince’s off-kilter, slightly unhinged style never fails to produce top tier albums and this self-titled album is no exception. Whilst not his most experimental or innovative work, this collaboration with Kenny Beats on production, another of my favourite artists, is a joy to listen to.
Vince and Kenny kick off the album with “Are You With That?”, a bouncy track that really contrasts the paranoid, sometimes abrasive lyrics. These are the contradictions that make Vince’s music so unique and permeate his whole discography. The opener then leads into “Law Of Averages” another foreboding track over a sparse beat carried by the intermittent backing vocals, ad-libs and the heavy kicks.
This transitions to a pair of tracks with strong summer evening energy. Despite the morbid lyrics, there’s a brightness driven by the twinkling keyboards and simple chord pattern. Halfway through the album is an audible shift from the slightly more positive, swaggering production to a darker, more intimidating style. The pace slows down considerably during “The Apple & The Tree” interlude, which is also where samples start to be used as story telling devices in combination with Vince’s own stories of difficult relationships evading police.
All in all Vince crafts a short but sweet album with catchy hooks, effervescent production and creative interludes. After a year locked inside, an album of house party beats was sorely needed and this self-titled selection fits the bill.
As July comes to an end and the end of summer is creeping nearer, it’s a good time to get to know the songs that would be played at the house parties and club nights that would have been.
With hits from SL, Gunna, Roddy Ricch and Unknown T, this month’s playlist is full of bangers that would make it into any DJ’s rotation.
Check out the playlist below and remember to follow so you don’t miss out on any of the tracks.
Amplified Sound 