“classic sound of heavy hip-hop” James White – He Saved My Life

The track has a great vibe, a little bit of intensity, the classic sound of heavy hip-hop, the darkness alongside the high energy. The energy is consistent throughout, it’s highlighted in the leading riff, and furthermore in the rap performances throughout. The music on the whole has an intensity that grows and grows as things move forwards. The beat changes significantly at various moments. The musical creativity shines quite brightly through this.

The hook section or key line of the track is just about the only one you take away with you after listening. The line is repeated and emphasised so heavily that it really grabs your attention. The down side of this is that all other lyrics get a little lost in the noise and energy of the peace surrounding the hook. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, maybe there’s nothing too crucial being said, but the concept of the track suggests something fairly interesting and unusual – a little bit of storytelling goes a long way, so it’s worth listening more than once to make sure you catch it.

There’s a huge amount of character and personality in the rap performances, and this is a big part of what makes the track what it is. There’s a confidence and a sense of unique style about the whole thing, and this is what will be the thread throughout future tracks from the artist and anyone else involved. The character is the key, and it works, you’d recognised the voice and the performance style again. The leading riff as well is something that stays with you after listening. Production wise it hits the mark, and it’s memorable, plus the energy is great, as mentioned – the track is designed to get you geared up and ready to head out, which it does.

By Rebecca Cullen

Rebecca is a Musician and writer from Manchester, UK, with an MA in Song Writing.