Each month brings new music and while Puerto Rico’s independent music scene may be slow in delivering EPs, mixtapes or albums when compared to other movements, the amount of singles delivered each month sees no end. The following article seeks to compile songs released during August 2018 as well as those I had not had the chance to cover earlier in the year. As stated in previous texts, the field of hip hop and all its sub-genres is the most prevalent, but August also saw the release of a few rock tunes and a little bit of reggae. “Real?” by Krey After having a very active July, Krey started August with another trap banger in the form of “Real?”, a single that sees the rapper/singer touching on the subject of honesty and being real when one is slowly becoming famous. “I Might Need Security” and “Me He Tardao” by Mike Rodz Kicking off August on full blast was Cayey’s own Mike Rodz with a freestyle over Chance The Rapper’s “I Might Need Security”, which served as a precursor to his latest single original single “Me He Tardao”. With “I Might Need Security”, Rodz continues to make his mission in the music industry clear: be real and honest. Moreover, the song serves as a great exercise for the rapper to display his lyrical prowess. Meanwhile, in “Me He Tardao” serves as a formal come back for Rodz after a few months without a single where he served as the main musician. In the track, Rodz display a bit of singing and rapping over some great samba influenced production by bluJarvis. “Whirlpool” by Jib Da Mist Featuring production by Savage Minds, Jib Da Mist’s “Whirlpool” is a song that continues to see the artist exploring the field of trap in a single where the artist raps and about making money and how much he can make. While the subject matter may not be the most original, it is unquestionable that this track is banger with the great production by Savage Minds making this tune a good addition to anybody’s party playlists. “Small Step <3 :)” by Clveless Featuring nice lo-fi jazz rap production by randombrownkid, Clveless “Small Step <3 :)” is a short and to the point track that wishes to inspire those suffering from some form of depression to get up, face their problems and eventually achieve their dreams. “i know :(” and “Feeling Down” by 6ELATHEGOAT A fresh entry into the emo and R&B influenced trap slowly coming out of the island, 6ELATHEGOAT’s explores the topic of disappointment as the musician sings about how he knows he has failed those he loves and how he hates himself for doing so. On the other hand, “Feeling Down” is a single that sees the young rapper continue to explore the aforementioned sound while he raps about how one can sometimes fall into sadness when following a goal seems impossible to achieve. “Swank” by Young Chimi ft. Swank Featuring the talents of Swank, Young Chimi’s “Fade” is a track that goes hand-in-hand with the musician’s earlier “Bring It Back Freestyle” where he sung about being against all his haters and how he is willing to do anything to prove them wrong. “Quiere Mas” by Juanchi ft. JMayens With “Quiere Mas”, Juanchi and JMayens get together a track that serves as a great addition to anybody’s party and late night playlist as both musicians explore the subjects of sex, partying and the nightlife. It is definitely a Latin trap tune that shows promise from both artists. “Cool Down (Ice Cream Donut)” by International Dub Ambassadors A perfect way to cool down (pun intended) in the midst of a very hot summer, the self-proclaimed “intergalactic dub” group International Dub Ambassadors returned to the scene to provide this mellow yet psychedelic single that will have people relaxing and having fun in the sun. “Mascaras Negras”, “LO MIO” and “MONEY TALK” by OMVRXJC Featuring production by Flytwilightzone and OMVR, the trap duo from the north of Puerto Rico return with yet another single in the form of “Mascaras Negras” where they explore subject matter they have touched before such as trust, their journey for success, women and money while featuring their mixture of melodies and aggressive choruses. Meanwhile with “LO MIO”, the duo deliver a short and punk attitude influenced song where they present who they are and how they seek to achieve success despite those who stand in their way. On the other hand, the duo’s collaboration with producer Fly Twilightzone, “MONEY TALK,” serves as a reminder from the rappers to everybody out there that they rap to get money. “Aún” by Joseph Alex Featuring traditional boom bap hip hop production by Sombrrra along with some auto-tune fueled melodies, “Aún” by Ponce’s Joseph Alex seems to be a tune that explores that moment in life where one is about to leave (be it through breaking up a relationship or death) and one has a few last words to say and wishes to have a bit of time to express those comments. “¿Quién Soy Yo Para Decirte?” by Carly Musa With “¿Quién Soy Yo Para Decirte?”, Carly Musa manages to explore the subjects of wisdom and advice. By mixing melodies and rapping, alongside what seems to be a psychedelic rock influenced guitar, the young musician is able to provide light on topics not often explored in R&B making this tune unique and different. “Colonel Roach” by Fullminator The first single for the metal band’s upcoming album Crack Attack, “Colonel Roach” sees the at-times eccentric Fullminator mixing elements of thrash metal and hardcore to create a perfect preview for their new full length project. “Viremos El Tiempo” by Diversión Sonora Serving as a preview of their upcoming EP “Goodbye Homosapiens!”, Diversión Sonora’s “Viremos El Tiempo” is a pop rock song with relatable lyrics [going back in time to make things better] that many may connect with making it a potential radio friendly tune if given the chance. “Freestyle 1” and “Confession” by Yung Lee As an active member of the lo-fi hip hop community in Puerto Rico, Yung Lee has slowly delivered a few songs this past summer. With “Freestyle 1”, Lee freestyles over a hypnotic beat about disliking fake rappers and culture vultures. Meanwhile with “Confession”, the young musician puts himself out there as he sings over a guitar driven beat about being dishonest to a loved one and how sorry he is about it. “Ganas” by Yvng Killo and Yung Lee A lo-fi hip hop and R&B influenced track that fuses melodies and rapping, the Yvng Killo and Yung Lee single “Ganas” is a love song dedicated to the artists’ love interests they constantly praise said interests in every way possible. Though the tune may be a weird mix for some, it is actually an interesting combination that should be explored in the future making this single an experiment on a genre fusion that has yet to be thoroughly fleshed out. “Pedro Rosello” by Eleperez Named after the former governor of Puerto Rico, Eleperez’s latest single is a trap track that uses the politician and his son, the now governor Ricardo Rosello, as metaphors for the people who find their way to a position of power by way of lies making this one of the few tunes in the genre to balance its usual stories of crime with a political message. “To the Moon” by O$RODZ Another entry into the rapidly growing lo-fi hip hop subgenre coming out of Puerto Rico, O$RODZ’s first single is an introspective journey into the artist’s mind that serves as a good introduction for the young up-and-comer. “Κύβος” and “sleepwithme” by Marlon Frank A short EP made up of two songs, “Κύβος” sees musician Marlon Frank exploring a variety of sounds among them dance and house music with the first “Natalia” and then a bit of drum and bass influenced funk in “De a Poco” making this an interesting presentation. Meanwhile, “sleepwithme” is a more atmospheric lo-fi track that sees the musician continue to explore his artistic boundaries as he provides what seems to be the soundtrack to some sort of surreal horror film set in an urban or industrial landscape. “Acércate” by Jorge & Los Físicos After performing around the island for a while the rock trio Jorge & Los Fisicos came back to Spotify in late July with a new single in the form of “Acercate,” a short but to the point groovy blues influenced pop rock track that will have listeners dancing and shaking their hips. “Tropical” by Julio Angel A fusion of R&B and Caribbean sounds, the first single by West based Puerto Rican newcomer Julio Angel is a lovely pop song adequately released in early July for the summer season that displays the singer’s mainstream potential. “Si Que Si” by Meca Uno After not releasing a single since May’s “Asi Es Que Eh,” Bayamon-based Meca Uno came back this month with the hypnotic boom bap single “Si Que Si,” a presentation of his lyrical powers that makes multiple references to kung fu cinema, his identity as a rocker and rapper and his surroundings. “Ganga” by Gaby Chuleta Presented by Demoniacal Records and Swamp Gang, the latest single by Guayama-based musician Gaby Chuleta is a trap banger that will definitely have listeners dancing and possibly creating mosh pits in live performances. “LOVEMIST” by SaintMist feat. Clveless Produced by deadboi takumi, “LOVEMIST,” the latest collaboration between SaintMist and Clveless, is a lo-fi hip hop song dedicated to the rappers respective love interests. Though the single features simple flows from the artists, they play perfectly with the imaginative lyrics presented, which teleport listeners to those moments in life where one is so in love that you wish to travel across the clouds with that person you that makes you happy. “MBHP” by La Cotto After not releasing a single since March, the diaspora based rapper La Cotto recently delivered “MBHP,” a powerful and aggressive feminist anthem against all those men who abuse of women in any way. Though the track can get a bit repetitive, it’s message is one that must be heard. “DESCONTROL” by Jose Yellow feat. Janmarcus Produced by Fly Twilightzone and Javi Neris, the latest collaboration between Jose Yellow and Janmarcus is a laid back yet energetic trap banger that will have audiences relaxing or dancing showing that Yellow’s hot streak in 2018 sees no end in sight. “E-baby” by Korea Central Mayagüez’s Korea Central return after quite a while without putting out music with “E-baby,” a fun and danceable lo-fi jangle pop tune that displays their psychedelic and indie rock influences showing the amount of ground the band can cover in a single song. “Suerte y mentira” by Julio del Hoyo A traditional boom bap rap beat serves as the background for Julio del Hoyo’s latest lyrical delivery “Suerte y mentira,” an introspective track that among many subjects explores those like luck and trust. Featuring a hypnotic acoustic guitar and great female vocals, the tune is yet another fantastic presentation by the young rapper. “Pink Skies” by Wolves Coming out of Isabela, Wolves recently released the single “Pink Skies,” a trap fueled R&B tune that will have some thinking about teenage and young adult love. If you love musicians like Trippie Redd, Lil Uzi Vert and XXXTentacion’s R&B inspired music, you will definitely like this. “Dime Como Es” by Bryan Lopez Orlando-based Puerto Rican singer Bryan Lopez recently delivered “Dime Como Es,” a dancehall influenced R&B single that takes advantage of the sounds found in the United States while paying homage to his Caribbean roots. A highly danceable song in terms of its rhythm, the tune is also filled with a passionate love story at its heart. “El Mariachi” by eMe A trap fueled banger, eMe’s “El Mariachi” is a track that provides quite a bit of adrenaline for those looking for a fun night. However, the tune suffers from its extensive running time which makes it feel a bit repetitive. “FakeLove (MixedFeeling)” by Gabilan An trap influenced R&B single, Gabilan’s “FakeLove (MixedFeeling)” sees the young Isabela musician exploring his feelings in the aftermath of a break-up. Though the song explores familiar lyrical territory, it is the beat that provides a soothing relaxed energy for those looking to chill at night with their loved one or those in search of reflection. “Una Loquera” by Bruze Wave feat. Gabilan & eMe Another trap single with elements of R&B coming out of Puerto Rico’s northwest, “Una Loquera” sees Bruze Wave collaborate with eMe and Gabilan to provide a Migos influenced sex fueled party single for those looking to dance all night long. “Todo Esta Bien” by Ruben Torres A relaxing and soulful presentation, Ruben Torres’ latest single “Todo Esta Bien” is a powerful song about feeling dead inside and coming to terms with it. Although the subject matter may be a little difficult to handle, do not disregard this song as it will make you reflect about the beauty of life. “Rebulera” by Carly Musa feat. ARM A fusion of reggaeton and dancehall, the latest collaboration by Carly Musa and ARM is a summer influenced track that will have listeners dancing for a while before, while and after listening. “NO SOY EL MISMO” by Clveless feat. SaintMist Featuring production by Alfred Wars, the second collaboration by Clveless and SaintMist sees both artists flexing their rapping muscles on a lo-fi boom bap beat as they explain and reflect on their personal changes after experiencing difficult relationships with people they at one point trusted. “𝙗_𝙪𝙣𝙙” by seint After releasing his latest beat tape, “DORADA,” not so long ago, young producer seint comes back to close August with a tribute to Kanye West as he samples a few of the rapper’s vocals to a soothing original beat influenced by psychedelia, Caribbean music and vaporwave. “Alma” and “No Importa (No Me Compares Version)” by Gerald Released in late July, Gerald’s “Alma” is a dancehall tune that further proves his possible mainstream appeal as he delivers a track that will have listeners shaking their bodies all over the place. Meanwhile, the No Me Compares version of “No Importa” is a soulful acoustic guitar driven version of the love song that perfectly fits the Univision series. “Ravenous Dreams” by Blood Rapture Released in April, the latest single by Blood Rapture is an example of the type of death metal Puerto Rico’s underground scene can bring to the table. It also demonstrates that, although it mainly stays in the dark, the metal movement in the island is still very much alive. “Coral” by A1 The latest video single by A1 is for the reggaeton track “Coral” off of his EP “The Sauz,” a psychedelic influenced visual that sees the rapper paying homage to old school reggaeton music videos while bringing a bit of his own flavor into the mix. “Fecha de Expiración” by La Estacion Central The latest video single by La Estacion Central is a display of their trademark boom bap production and lyrical combination where they show that traditional hip hop can still pop and make you head bang when done with love, care and dedication. “No Fallamos” by Alvaro Diaz feat. Myke Towers Alvaro Diaz and Myke Towers close the month properly with “No Fallamos,” a fantastic collaboration that features the musicians rapping over a trap beat about the type of people they trust and the way they navigate through the industry. Every day Puerto Rico’s indie music scene continues to grow and more tunes get to see the light of day thanks to the artists’ fearless D.I.Y. mentality and the great amount of platforms provided across the internet that allow them to share said work. August 2018 was yet another example of the movement’s rapidly growing archive of music and the bravery of the island’s underground talent.
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AuthorFernando E. E. Correa González is the author behind over 30 self-published poetry books. He has been published by literary magazines & journals [Id]entidad, El Vicio del Tintero, Sábanas Magazine, Smaeralit, The Occulum, Tonguas and Hound Magazine. Other than writing, Correa is also the host of FENCast, a podcast dedicated to documenting the Puerto Rican independent art scene. Aside from this, he experiments with filmmaking, photography, drawing, painting, multimedia and transmedia. He currently lives in his native Puerto Rico. Archives
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