emotionals: “cherry REDuXX”
If the sonic trends heard on dltzk’s magnificent debut album Teen Week were somehow not fulfilling enough for you, the similar approach taken by fellow digicore standout emotionals certainly will. “cherry REDuXX” employs the same breakbeat-infused and highly-passionate elements that the aforementioned project flaunts so vividly, this time in a much more brief and clear package. Tracks in this light further reveal how well this scene is at turning once-niche soundscapes into the most appealing ones heard today.
Misaku Foxx: “exactly”
Misaku Foxx is an agent of honesty. As simple as that title may sound, it’s a tough one to achieve in a music world clouded by facades and purposeful anonymity. Surrounded by anecdotes of personal turmoil, “exactly” hits its apex when the line “I’m just tryna make some shit they relate to” introduces the bridge. Whether it’s explicitly portrayed by others or not, Misa’s lyrical masterwork makes a relevant impression on all their peers in one way or another.
Graveem1nd (Feat. Midwxst and dltzk): “##GraveedUp”
Each and every digicore collective has their own traits and aspects about them, and most are defined by the types of sounds and/or approaches consistent with the roster they have at their disposal. Graveem1nd’s digitized, down and dirty take on hip-hop and pop is evident of how this concept works so well for the scene. Their recent drop features the newly-introduced Midwxst teaming with perhaps the most in-demand figure in the scene today. The results are… well, just take a wild guess on a song that both features and is produced by dltzk.
Kurtains Is Proving That We Need More Lore
Treat your young musical storytellers right in today’s world, they are few and far between. With “Axel Ocelot” – the lead single from Kurtains’ upcoming EP – teasing towards a narrative journey ahead, one can only imagine how artful this entire project will come to be knowing what we already do in regards to their remarkable songwriting. Even Kurtains themself, being the enigma that they are, have outright asked fans how they are anticipating this still-undefined story to come on Twitter and Instagram. With repeated mystery comes that much more anticipation; it’s safe to say we’ve reached a fever pitch after all of these teases.
can u guys comment what u think the lore is cuz i wana know how clear it is so far thank u :
— alex (@kurtains) March 8, 2021
Wiardon: “Stay Down”
Words by Alphonse Pierre
One of my favorite subtle rap tricks right now is when the artist stumbles on a bar and powers through it. This has been perfected by Flint, Michigan rappers like YN Jay and Rio Da Yung OG, and now Austin, Texas rapper and producer Wiardon has adopted the quirk as well. “I used to walk to 3400 try to get me some money/They wasn’t with us in the hood,” he raps in the opening seconds of “Stay Down,” unable to finish the second line. He sucks his teeth and makes another attempt, but once again it doesn’t click and he responds with a frustrated “Fuck!” Finally the third time goes smoothly, and it’s followed up with two minutes of calmy delivered slick talk. A moment seemingly so minor can make a song memorable.
“Get Refreshed” is a weekly column by Billy Bugara covering all things digital in the music world. Refresh yourself here.
Cover by Bernard Vernon