Although I had heard $NOT’s name mentioned copiously in the past few years, it wasn’t until around the time he teamed up with our very own Cole Bennett just a few weeks ago to release his single “Revenge” that I actually made an effort to tune in. After listening, I was ashamed that I allowed myself to miss out on his wonderful music, and since then, I’ve gone back and revisited everything I was turning a blind eye to. Since listening up, I realized that he is one of, if not the most compelling and talented artists in the entire industry, showing off a variety of sounds that prove he is as dexterous as he is talented.
As he gears up for the release of his upcoming album Beautiful Havoc, which releases this Friday, he has been dropping off a few singles from the project that have gotten fans, myself included, more excited than ever before. Most recently, he dropped off a brand-new single entitled “Sangria”, recruiting Denzel Curry and incredible producer Powers Pleasant to bring this record to life. While I’m honestly not sure if these two artists have worked together in the past, their equally aggressive, ruthless, and addictive personas complement one another so well that I can only hope for more offerings from them in the future.
As the production begins to take shape, mystifying pan flutes of some sort play in a loop before uncharacteristically impressive percussion and bouncy drums enter into the picture and provide a specific movement that is unbelievably rhythmic and enthralling. $NOT’s delivery is as callous as ever, yet he seems to hold back some of his normal trademark aggression, at least on the hook. Despite this, there is this underworld quality behind his delivery that shines through and complements the mischievous elements of this beat incredibly.
Getting into his brief verse, he continues a similarly bouncy cadence to the one he uses in the chorus, taking unexpected breaks and pauses to just vibe out to the tempo of the instrumental wonderfully and effortlessly. His enthusiasm remains at bay while his lyrics should suggest otherwise, but it’s this straightforward, unapologetic delivery that makes his words shine through even more. As the second hook takes shape, you can hear Denzel’s background ad-libs loud and clear as he prepares himself to go in for an absolutely unforgettable verse.
When he does come in, his attitude and vigor are as elevated as ever, and although there are really no effects on his vocals, his personality takes the brunt of his effort and provides components that simply can’t be edited in or altered in post-production. For his first few lines, the beat cuts out and he changes his voice for the last word of each line, singling out the rhyme that brings each entertaining bar full circle as his wordplays are infectious and impressive, unsurprisingly. Moving on, he boasts some of the most unbelievable cadences that switch in the blink of an eye, never interrupting the rhythm of the record but rather bringing the bounciness of this track to places unlike ever before.
While I have no doubt in my mind that $NOT is going to drop off an absolutely magnificent project at the end of the week, I find myself getting more and more excited while I anticipate what’s to come after every additional single drops. He just has this charisma within his songs that might not be as compelling or characteristic of other artists, per se, but his personality comes through in an unremorseful, upfront fashion that is unlike anyone else making music today. I had no doubt in my mind that he would do wonders on a song next to Denzel, and my presumptions were correct considering the duo delivered one of the best songs you’ll hear all week, but we’ll have to wait for the album to drop to see what else he has in store for us. While we wait with bated breath to see what $NOT has in store for us, make sure you listen to his brand-new Denzel Curry-assisted single “Sangria”.