The Weekly Dip 6/10/22

Back with another kersplash of a dip for all you human cannonballs out there! The waters are overflowing with today’s additions & these records are in no way gonna turn out to be flip flops so kick those sandals off & let’s take a deep dive into this week’s Dip!

Smoon - Tear Duct (Video)

During the week, Instagram advertising helped us become introduced to PDX emcee Smoon through her latest video release titled “Tear Duct.” The mellow production, mixed with the eerie aesthetic of the visual, captivated an ambiance of mystery & dominance for us to get more familiar with Smoon sound. With the potency of lyricism conveyed by Smoon, she balances out the sinister style of her wordplays with the laid-back vibe that will truly satisfy your thirst for the hip-hop essence that’s missing in most music today. Being the first piece of art we get to experience from her; we can say we are new fans of her music and hope to get the opportunity to feature more of her content on the site in the near future.

Futuristic - GUCCI (Video)

MGK could never. It seems like a lot of rappers are tapping into this alternative punk sound & I’m absolutely loving the resurgence of it. Futuristic is known for being one of the most fun & inventive lyricists we have in this game, criminally underrated as well, he’s been ripping through shit lyrically for well over a decade now so it’s nice to see him have more fun experimenting with different sounds & styles that only further add to his energetic nature. On “Gucci”, he drops 900$ on some shoes just to consistently have them be ruined throughout the day but he could care less cause he can get another pair easy. Pool parties have never been more litty, he got girls twerking to Rock music, last time I seen that was in a Mastodon music video. Futuristic continues to be the rebellious soul that he is on this number & I for one am excited to see him continue to explore this sound in particular of the output is gonna be this lit!

iyla - 2LATE (Video)

Y2 sent me here, back when he featured on her song “Frequency” but now they’re back again, this time with Y2 solely behind the production as iyla majestically dominates this beat. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard yodeling over trap instrumentation, that originality alone sets her leagues above most songstresses. Her style reminds me of Y2’s a bit, her vocals are a bit all over the place, so many twists & turns, I can never determine where the rhythms will flow to next & that’s exciting! On this record, she’s putting her foot down & telling this person to sit with the damage they’ve caused, don’t try to woo your way back into her good graces, it’s far “2LATE” for second chances, she just forgives too much but she’s taking her power back on this one & the person on the receiving end of this number has no choice but to be broken down the way he left her. The visuals as well only further add to the mystique of iyla, a majestic folklore of a visual treatment to one of the most unique records you’ll hear all year!

Mariah Soul - Nothing Is Forever (Visualizer)

Letting go of someone, something that has played such an integral role in your life is no easy task but holding on to the shifting sands of time as they slip through your fingers, some things just need to dissolve. Probably one of the most mature records I’ve heard on the subject. Although she’s angry & confused, she acknowledges the fact that she has no say in what this other person chooses to do. They have right to say she’s not what they prefer, as soul crushing as that may be to hear. When you’re so used to someone, having that just end so abruptly, as it usually does, is absolutely devastating. Mariah really drives this sentiment home by striking every chord within your body on this heartstring yanking & snipping tearjerker of a slow burning ballad. Not to mention this visualizer only further adds to the breathtaking nature of this record. You just don’t get soul music like this too often where the artists vocals are the focal point & are not overpowered by the production, just beautifully in sync.

Tank - Slow (feat. J. Valentine) (Video)

With his final album underway, Tank decided it was best to, turn the temperature down in the bedroom cause things are about to get so sensually sweet under these rose petal esque covers. It’s been a minute since we’ve gotten R&B like this, this is pure soul, the fervorous passions of two bodies melting into one another. Tank has been eyeing this dancer all night & is eager to seduce her back to his place for a romantic fling. Babies were made during the filming of this one. The ladies will be swooning to his croons on this one, they have no choice but to submit. This song is sure to get things heating up in the bedroom. Both Tank & Valentine are here to please the women, eager to be doing all the foreplay necessary to get her fountain running. A lot of men only wish they could satisfy a woman the way these two can, over & over again.

John Carroll Kirby - Dawn of New Day (feat. Laraaji) (Video)

Stones Throw is one of the most criminally underrated indie labels, the vast array of musical styles this label garners is impressive. John Carroll Kirby continues to shine elegantly with these soundscapes of his, this time around, linking up with an absolute legend in Laraaji. New school instrumentalist meets old school, oh you bet I’m here for this. Anybody not familiar with Laraaji should get acquainted with his work, particularly his work on Ambient 3: Day of Radiance from Brian Eno’s marvelous Ambient series, this single here took me back to that! The editing in these avant-Garde visuals is as abstract as the instrumentation. Kirby & Laraaji are as in sync with one another musically as these edits entail. This is music & visuals for all you cool heads out there who are in need of an out of body experience. This record here just sounds like rebirth, like we’re staring anew after making it out of the turmoil & we even get some vocals from Laraaji as well that only further add to the majestic winds of this morning ritual of a record!

Grafh - MOSSBERG (Video)

Shit getting real spooky out here isn’t it? Grafh has such a daunting presence about him, you’ll never again witness pump action like this. Grafh is littering this beat with shotgun shell casings out his 590 Shockwave O.F. except he’s the Mossberg & the completion is the Sons! Grafh did not come around to play this year thus far, starting with his tape with the late great DJ Shay, fresh off The Burden of Plugs tour with Benny The Butcher & a slew of singles which judging from this latest, the output is not slowing down one bit. Grafh is one of the most underrated lyricists in the game right now but a seasoned veteran as well & he’s come to take these little kiddies to school & show them how real OG’s get down. If you ain’t coming with any sort of skillset, you best sit this one out cause hisbars are career ending. That dog food line about Snoopy, c’mon Grafh, this is just not fair, lesson learned!