As one of the most active independent trap musicians in Puerto Rico, Ferrori has been slowly leaving a mark on the scene while collaborating with various members of the movement. Thus, it was only natural that he would eventually release a solo project which he did with YANG, a collaboration with producer Orteez that sees the musician going into deeply emotional territory. Starting the project is the fantastic collaboration with Vento Alejandro, “Lava,” where the young trap musician reflects on depression. Afterwards, “Hades & Persephone” sees Ferrori exploring love and the toxic relationships that can come with it through some Travis Scott and Kanye West influenced vibes. Then, in “N.E.P.N.”, Ferrori joins forces with 13:00am and ERRE to provide a guitar-driven banger that explores betrayal. Next, “Neverland” provides a happier atmosphere as Ferrori delivers a tune that might play well in the strip club. Finally, “Adversidad” brings Ferrori to one of his darkest pieces as he introspects on suicide on a beat by Jorus. As mentioned previously, YANG shows Ferrori’s introspective and emotional side. However, the final minutes of the album could’ve been a bit more solid. Nevertheless, as the young musician mentioned in my podcast, this EP is supposed to be the first side of a more extensive project, so hopefully when everything comes together it will land better.
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“El juego” by Rafers ft. Mr. HumA A danceable tune at heart, the latest Rafers and Mr. HumA collaboration is a blend of pop, reggaeton and dancehall that looks to make people en el jangueo drop their booties to the floor. “enemy lines” by stz (prod. YVRE) Featuring bass-heavy production by YVRE, stz’s “enemy lines” displays the artist’s ability to be comfortable in the act of balancing bravado raps with a danceable beat. “VOLAO” by 13:00am feat. Joshua Torres (prod. Arov & Avila) A track that attempts to takes listeners into the sensation of feeling high, 13:00am and Joshua Torres’s collaboration with Arov and Avila is a trap tune that at the very least will play well in the late night scene. “Diablo Manin” by 13:00am ft. Gaby Chuleta & Jose Yellow (Prod. Avila) Featuring some infectious production by Avila, the latest collaboration by 13:00am, Gaby Chuleta and Jose Yellow is one that will definitely play well in late night playlists as listeners drive across city streets. “Alrevez” by Jose Yellow Ft. Gaby Chuleta (Prod. Axel Ghxst) Another collaboration between Jose Yellow and Gaby Chuleta, “Alrevez” sees the duo displaying their chemistry on an experimental trap tune that will surely play well in the strip club as well as moshpits. “No Voy Pa’ Tras” by Leo Dario (Prod. Bravo) A remix of the Russ track “Ain’t Going Back,” Leo Dario’s “No Voy Pa’ Tras” is a tune that sees the young musician looking straight forward as he continues to pursue his artistic goals. “Lo Enrolo” by Leo Dario X 6ELA (Prod. OreoBeatzzz) A tune featuring bravado raps and celebrating weed use, the latest collaboration between Leo Dario and 6ELA is a single that will certainly play well in moshpits. “Rehén” by Diego Hauz feat. STZ Featuring some fantastic bass-heavy and ominous production, the most recent collaboration between Diego Hauz and STZ is a song that fits perfectly into the late night and strip club scene. “Dolce Vita” by Rampolla (Prod. Fusté) Accompanied by an R&B influenced hip hop beat by Fusté, the latest Rampolla single sees the young musician exploring love, dreams, storytelling as well as singing abilities. “WASA” by Gaby Chuleta (Prod. Tek Banks) Another single by Gaby Chuleta on a very active month for him, “WASA” shows the young musician stay on his trap vibe as he delivers a tune that will play well in late night playlists, moshpits and strip clubs. “Revelatory Fallout,” “Deterrence,” “Age of Pillory,” “Parallel Paradox,” “Stricken Wasteland” by Martyr’s Tongue One of the most active bands this past May, Martyr’s Tongue has been releasing singles left and right in what seems will be an upcoming album called Ruinous Upheaval and if the singles are indicative of anything it’s that the group draws influences from hardcore punk, grindcore, extreme metal and other genres of the kind. “Animal Híbrido” by Joe Louis y la banda onírica de la puerta roja Another example of the wave of up-and-coming singer-songwriters, Joe Louis’s “Animal Híbrido” shows the musician’s storytelling abilities and fascination with folk music. “Tenerte” by Julio Angel Another showing of Julio Angel’s potential mainstream appeal, “Tenerte” is a love and melody-driven blend of pop and trap that could be found in many lovers’ playlists. “Solo” by Carly Musa A blend of R&B and synths, Carly Musa’s “Solo” explores themes such as solitude, friendship and love while displaying the musician’s production and vocal skills. “No Haces Na” by Michael Joel X ERRE A blend of trap and reggae influences, the latest Michael Joel and ERRE collaboration is a relaxing tune that shows the artists’ chemistry and their seamless blend of rapping with singing. “TOY SOLTERO” by GALDI PLAYBOI X YUNG 17 A bass-heavy tune that blends today’s trap with 2000s snap rap, the latest GALDI PLAYBOI and YUNG 17 collaboration is one that will definitely have listeners twerking to the floor and others even creating moshpits. “MAN T K” by GALDI PLAYBOI A single made for the moshpit, GALDI PLAYBOI’S “MAN T K” is a bass-heavy trap tune that explores certain elements that give it an ethereal and horror-themed energy. “Fumar y Chingar” by Fayad X Fabiio (Prod. Zor beat) A trap tune made for the strip club, Fayad and Fabiio’s latest collaboration is a fun track that will definitely have listeners dancing. “Kapiku” by Fayad Using some danceable trap production, with “Kapiku,” Fayad displays his ability to continue making music for the late night playlist while showing off his flow. “Tal Vez” by Kevo A blend of reggaeton, pop and other Caribbean sounds, the latest single by the Ponce musician is a track that will have listeners dancing especially in beach-like environments. “Di Que Si” by Matthew A mixture of dancehall, reggaeton and pop, Matthew’s “Di Que Si” is a love and sex-driven tune that’ll make it into late night and strip club playlists. “Si Estas Con Otro (Coming Out Strong Spanish Remake)” by Andre The Giant A love and sex-driven R&B trap tune, Andre The Giant’s “Si Estas Con Otro” is a single that one can easily imagine playing while driving across the city and in the late night club scene. “Ganas” by Andre The Giant ft. Brray (Prod. Chris-Xander) A blend of R&B, trap and reggaeton, the latest collaboration between Andre The Giant and Brray is a single that will definitely have listeners dancing in the late night scene. “Noche Joven” by Jan Mercé (Prod. FlyTwilight) Featuring some ethereal trap production by FlyTwilight, the latest collaboration between Jan Mercé and the producer is a display of Mercé’s rapping and singing skills as well as FlyTwilight’s ever growing sound palette. “Y tú y yo (San Juan Sound Demo)” by Pheelin A demo version of the young musician’s track, this version of “Y tú y yo” displays the artist’s love for lo-fi, psychedelia, jangle pop and indie rock as he slowly continues to expand his sound. “Despega (Instrumental) [demito]” by Pheelin A very relaxing instrumental tune, “Despega” shows Pheelin’s lo-fi aesthetics and his affinity for bedroom pop as he delivers a single that could be compared to the famous lo-fi/chill-vibe hip hop beats of today. “Kehlani's Interlude [envy Session]” by envy A very relaxing blend of R&B and trap, the latest Envy single is a tune that will definitely fit well into baby-making playlists and other late night compilations. “MiKaSa” by Kid WowZa (Prod. 703crissy) A pop rap and trap mixture, Kid WowZa’s latest collaboration with 703crissy is a single that shows the artist displaying his lyrical abilities while having fun. “Wet Hands” by Kid WowZa Featuring a surreal and trippy trap beat, “Wet Hands” is a comedic take on the subject of masturbation as Kid WowZa once again displays his lyrical skills. “Lucha de Clases” by Cartagena Rosario (Prod. MAC Mde) Featuring some reggaeton-influenced production by MAC Mde, Cartagena Rosario’s “Lucha de Clases” is a danceable tune that will have listeners twerking down to the floor and others reflecting. “new standards” by Marlon Frank A mixture of trap along with electronic and psychedelic elements, the latest Marlon Frank single shows the producer expanding his sound and making it more danceable than his otherwise more relaxed beats. “DESACATAU” by 6ELA (Prod. by A1 Beam) A bass-heavy trap track that will play well in moshpits, 6ELA’s “DESACATAU” shows the artist spitting bravado raps while displaying his first foray into a full-blown attempt at a song in Spanish. “Sufro” by Siloé Andino His first single in a while, “Sufro” presents Andino expanding his repertoire as he explores reggae in a love-driven track. “TU NO VES REMIX” by OMVR x JC x BLXXDSHOT (Prod.OMVR) A trap tune highly influenced by 2000s southern rap, the latest collaboration between OMVR X JC and BLXXDSHOT is a single that will definitely create moshpits and/or play well in late night playlists. “She Wanna Fuck Freestyle” by BLACKCROW (Prod. poloboy81) An aggressive trap tune, the latest BLACKCROW single is a short and to-the-point freestyle highly influenced by punk rock attitude. “Torre, Flores” by Corre Forrest! Their second single since the release of their debut album, “Torre, Forrest” sees the young pop punk band continuing in what seems to be their journey towards a sophomore project. “Fiend” by Mr. Kraken & the Wattz A tune that continues to display Mr. Kraken’s ever growing sound palette, “Fiend” is a song that blends elements of dance rock, punk, garage rock and Kraken’s haunting vocals with dark subject matter. “Fuzzbol” by Furry Vowels As Furry Vowels continues to release singles every now and then, one can notice the musician’s growth in sound and “Fuzzbol” is another example of him exploring different elements of the electronic music atmosphere, this time in the form of 1980s synthpop and a bit of vaporwave. As shown in previous months, the Puerto Rican independent art scene will always stay alive, despite any of the social and political problems which may arise. If May 2019 and the rest of the year has shown us anything is that the members of the scene seem to be more alive than ever in said dire times.
Listen to some of the singles on Soundcloud and Spotify While trap and reggaeton continue to dominate pop culture, rappers in the underground and other up-and-comers continue to explore lyrical and boom bap hip hop as a means of expression. One of these artists is Persi who, with his EP Perscepto, shows the power behind lyrical rap with the help of production by CJota Quintana. (cover for the EP) Kicking off Perscepto is its title track in which Persi comes in like he’s on beast mode putting everything on the line. Afterwards, in “Psicodelico,” he collaborates with Timm Clayton “Lapiz de Fuego” in a 2000s influenced beat where they display their lyrical abilities and how they’re not looking for fame, but rather lyrical prowess. Then “Apuntate Otro Más” is a hard hitting boom bap song that continues to display Persi’s lyrical abilities. “Stop Hate but Hate” shows Persi collaborate with Amill Doble Tempo on a Southern hip hop influenced production while practicing his fast rapping and multisyllabic skills. Next, “Hoy Se Sabe Mañana No” shows Persi displaying his storytelling and visual lyricism alongside a more experimental and moving beat by Quintana. Perscepto closes with “MC Aprovado,” another display of lyrical abilities and a great closing to the short EP. (picture of Persi as found on his Instagram) With Perscepto, Persi is able to display a lot of his abilities as an MC, thus presenting a project that will make fans of lyrical and underground rap proud and that seems to be his goal right now, be the best MC he could be. However, if he wishes to reach mainstream appeal he will have to explore lighter boom bap sounds like jazz and pop rap as well as explore his storytelling a bit more.
Listen to Perscepto on Spotify While rap, trap and reggaeton continue to be the most active genres in the Puerto Rican indie scene right now, bands like Milénica continue to explore sounds like heavy metal, alternative rock and pop rock looking to create something different which they attempt to do in their debut EP, En el Ojo del Huracán, a combination of the aforementioned sounds mixed with introspective lyrics. (cover for the EP) En el Ojo del Huracán starts with “Prefacio,” which slowly transitions into the project’s first single “Escapularios,” a heavy metal and metalcore blend that will create moshpits for some and reflection for others. Meanwhile, “Prisma” is a display of the group’s classic metal and overall hard rock influences again paired with introspective lyrics. Then “En Batalla” kicks off with a soft and easy going intro that seamlessly transitions into a hard rock and pop rock mix as the band explore the struggle of dealing with internal demons. The project closes with the title track, one that continues to explore the aforementioned sounds along with the subject of love. (promo for the single “Escapularios”) Overall, En el Ojo del Huracán presents Milénica as a new project within the rock scene, but it doesn’t do much to separate them from many others. Hopefully, their future endeavors will see them experiment with other sounds as they slowly find their voice.
Listen to En el Ojo del Huracán on Spotify As pop punk continues to stay alive in the Puerto Rican indie scene, more young bands continue to gravitate and explore it in their music. One of these is the Caguas-based Ade-Line who, with their debut EP Salimos de Esto, make sure to wear said sound on their sleeves and be proud of it. (promo found on the band’s Facebook) Salimos de Esto kicks off with “Ansi,” a tune that explores the subject of anxiety under some of the problems faced by millennials. Afterwards, “Amor en Vano” take a hand on the subject of love creating a song that many will identify with. Next, “Camino de Las Pomarrosas” continues to explore love on a more story-driven sound. Then, “Corri” picks up some skate punk influences to deliver what is perhaps the more adrenaline fueled entry in the EP while exploring the monotony of life. “Jaguas” closes the EP as the group creates a slowly starting adrenaline rush of pop punk that will definitely create moshpits. (picture of the band as found on their Facebook) With Salimos de Esto, Ade-Line present themselves as one of the young bands to look out for in the pop punk side of the Puerto Rican indie scene. Though the ensemble has some room for improvement, they definitely have the talent to go beyond what the standard pop punk group delivers and can leave an impact not only on their island’s scene but in other regions.
Listen to Salimos de Esto on Spotify As the Puerto Rican indie scene continues to bring out bands every day, Ahmed Albizu of Reanimadores and Daniel Figueroa of Music Dorks joined forces to create the project Serpientes that, with their self-titled debut EP, show a variety of influences ranging from punk and garage rock to country rock. (cover for the EP) The project kicks off with “Existiendo,” a garage rock influenced track that will definitely have people moving or imagining a wild car chase in a movie. Meanwhile, “Vueltas” continues to show the group’s garage rock inspiration alongside some of their more proto punk influences. Then “No se que decir” has the group exploring some country driven rock sounds and love-inspired lyrics. Afterwards, “Seguir caminando” continues to experiment with the aforementioned genre blend, but this time in a more ballad focused fashion. Finishing the EP is “Desgracia,” a post-punk tune that makes sure to create a dark atmosphere which eventually creates what feels like an apocalyptic scenario. (promo art as found on the project’s Bandcamp) A powerfully emotional and genre blending project, Serpientes’ self-titled debut EP is one that some might find hard understanding how it all works, but that’s a good testament to how Albizu and Figueroa managed to create something unique out of genres that hardly get explored let alone mixed in the island of Puerto Rico.
Listen to Serpientes on Bandcamp "Sonido Porno": Los Raros Expand on Their Alternative R&B and Hip Hop Blend With Some Help by Orteez6/11/2019 After joining forces with Nebu OTB for their debut EP, Los Raros VLMN 1, Los Raros joined forces with producer Orteez in order to deliver their folow-up project Sonido Porno, a project that continues to keep the band’s blend of alternative R&B, hip hop, singer-songwriter and boyband elements. (cover for the project) Sonido Porno kicks off with the completely sexual and sensual “Me Mintio,” an R&B and hip hop blend that definitely serves as baby-making music. Then Los Raros present “Mala Cara,” a more traditional trap tune that differentiates itself from the rest with psychedelic elements that don’t take away from it being danceable and worthy of the strip club and late night scene. Afterwards, the project’s first single “Mayacupey” comes in with its very relaxing vibe accompanied with its ever infectious chorus by Vento Alejandro. Next, “Sin Hablar” sees the group delving into the field of reggaeton as they adapt it to their own ethereal sound. Finally, “Provocaste” closes the project on a high note leaving listeners waiting for the next project by the slowly rising proclaimed boyband. (picture of Los Raros as found on Vento Alejandro’s Twitter) As previously stated, Los Raros is one of the group’s to definitely keep an eye out. On their debut EP, the band presented themselves. With Sonido Porno, the group expanded on the already established sound while experimenting with a few new elements. If the ensemble’s rollout is an indication of anything, the next project related to the band will be a solo EP by Vento Alejandro, which will hopefully be followed by another group effort. If Los Raros continue to keep their roots while reinventing themselves, they will truly continue to be one of the best projects to come out of the scene.
Listen to Sonido Porno on Spotify and Soundcloud As the Puerto Rican metal scene looks to reinvent itself and stay afoot in an island where such a heavy sound is often looked upon, young bands like Out of Hand emerge out of the trenches to inject new ideas to the scene they’ve admired for so long and with their debut EP, Icons of Apathy, they also manage to present themselves as one of the original and more powerful voices coming out. (cover for the EP) Icons of Apathy kicks off with “Presage,” a powerful thrash metal and extreme metal blend that will blow listeners away. Then the project seamlessly transitions to the single “Three Way Knife,” an extreme metal and grindcore crossover, which will have everybody headbanging madly. Afterwards, “Harvester of Sins” comes in with more of the power presented in the previous tracks, but with a bit of a slower rhythm in order to calm down the audience. However, Out of Hand speed things up a bit in the following tune, “Clenched Fists,” a song that mixes elements of thrash metal, grindcore and crossover thrash in order to create some fantastic moshpit atmosphere. Finally, Icons of Apathy ends with “Violent Thinking,” a reflective thrash metal and extreme metal mixture that perfectly encapsulates the EP’s essence. (picture of the band as found on their Facebook) With Icons of Apathy, Out of Hand manage to introduce themselves as a force to be reckoned with inside the Puerto Rican metal scene while also displaying their potential to be a group that goes beyond the boundaries of the standard Puerto Rican metal band.
Listen to Icons of Apathy on Bandcamp and Spotify As one of the young and active bands of the west side of Puerto Rico, Sniffing Colors has been constantly performing live so it was only a matter before they released their music on streaming platforms and last February they did exactly that when they released some of it as part of their debut EP, Colors, a project that displays many of their influences while they find their identity. (cover for the EP) Starting Colors is “Oceans,” a very relaxing tune that can also be danceable, headbangable and reflective. The project then moves to “Move Like That,” another highly danceable track in the form of power pop. Next the group delivers “Tonight’s Forever,” a song influenced by British rock of the 2000s and some surf rock that will have listeners moving in one way or another as it seamlessly blends into the late night party atmosphere. Finally, Colors closes with “Wrong Number” continues to show some of the aforementioned inspirations while integrating some indie, alternative and dance rock elements. (recent picture of the group performing as found on their Facebook) As previously stated, Sniffing Colors is one of the bands from the west slowly making their way through the scene and Colors is only a demonstration of what they are capable of. As they mentioned in my podcast, the group is currently working on a new project which they hope to release sometime around August, hopefully that will continue to see them grow while keeping some of their roots.
Listen to Colors on Spotify As the scene continues to grow, one of the talents that has been fearless towards exploration while maintaining his roots has been the young Sebastián .Otero. With the release of Cantando al oscurecer: Anjelamaría Dávila en canción the singer-songwriter shows just that and more. (cover art for the EP) Cantando al oscurecer kicks off with the story-driven “Glosas de la Paloma (1),” a mix of Latin rock influences with psychedelia and poetry that pays homage to classic musicians and poets. Afterwards, “No Vuelvas” is a beautiful piano-driven composition that explores love and everything that comes with it. The projects ends with “Epítetos ¿injuriantes? (en estricto orden alfabético),” a display of the .Otero’s vocal skills fused with rock along with an exploration of current political and social issues. (promo for the project as found on .Otero’s Facebook) As mentioned previously, Cantando al oscurecer is a demonstration of the young musician’s talent in just a brief ten minutes as he pays homage to those who came before him while exploring current subjects and keeping his identity as an overall artist. Furthermore, the EP shows his willingness to experiment with different sounds and it shows that he’ll hopefully explore further as his career continues.
Listen to Cantando al oscurecer: Anjelamaría Dávila en canción on Spotify As two of the most active underground trap artists in Puerto Rico right now it was only a matter of time until Enyel C and Gaby Chuleta got together for a collaborative EP or full-length project. If the “SANTINI RMX” is an indication of anything is that all of the artists on that song could do various collaborations with Enyel C, so it is not rare at all to find him once again joining forces with Chuleta to deliver what only seemed natural in Newborn Pleasure! (cover for the EP) Newborn Pleasure! starts right off the bat with “HEELYS,” a danceable trap tune that will definitely have listeners remembering times when things were easier and there weren’t many problems on mind. Afterwards, “SKYWALKER” keeps the party going with another bounce-worthy trap track. “NO GORRA” slowly fades the the short EP away with a laid back sound that will relax listeners all around.
As mentioned previously, Newborn Pleasure! is a collaboration that was just the next natural step for two artists whose chemistry is just perfect. Hopefully, they will continue to join forces in the future to deliver more music that’s at the level of this EP.
Listen to Newborn Pleasure! on Soundcloud and Spotify As one of the bands to stay active in-and-out of the scene for almost 20 years, Psiconautas has been one of the groups to continue push the boundaries for experimental and psychedelic music. After taking a break for almost five years, the ensemble has returned with a three-song single/EP, Me elevas/ Quizás será, that continues to show the band’s surreal and intergalactic interests. (art for the project) Me elevas/ Quizás será starts with “Me elevas,” which turns out to be a somewhat danceable post-punk tune with what is a haunting atmosphere at times. Then the collection moves to “Quizás será,” a highly psychedelic and dreamy tune that is sure to expand listeners’ imagination. Finally, the project closes with “Interludio XI,” an instrumental that continues the ensemble’s exploration with noise music. (picture of Psiconautas provided by the group for my podcast) As stated previously, Me elevas/ Quizás será serves as a return for Psiconautas as they look to find their footing in the new spectrum of music while keeping their psychedelic and experimental identity. As they mentioned in my podcast interview, this EP is only the first in what will be a series of releases throughout the upcoming months. Hopefully, those will expand on the group’s sound while still keeping their roots.
Listen to Me elevas/ Quizás será on Bandcamp As one of the hungriest members of the Puerto Rican underground trap scene, 6ELA has been one of the most active members this past year as he is constantly releasing singles every month. Last February, the Carolina-based artist released his EP AFTER DARK PARADISE, a project that sees the musician going into the darkest of places in order to understand himself better. (EP cover art) AFTER DARK PARADISE starts with “FEELSLIKEIDONTEXIST,” an emo trap tune with hardcore production which will make listeners bounce in one way or another. Then the project moves with “IDONTCARE,” another track that continues to display the artist’s emotional state. Next, the short EP closes with “HATEME,” a song with a lighter beat that sees 6ELA continuing to explore his depression while looking for ways to escape it. (picture of the artist as found on his Soundcloud) As one of the slowly growing artists in the scene right now, 6ELA, with AFTER DARK PARADISE, continues to show his fearlessness towards being real and upfront about what he is going through and how art serves as a way for him to escape his personal demons.
Listen to AFTER DARK PARADISE on Soundcloud "A Nadie Le Importa!": Modafoca Continue to Display Their Influences While Keeping Their Identity6/11/2019 As one of the newest punk groups to emerge out of the scene, Modafoca perfectly presented themselves in their debut EP Super Nah! With A Nadie Le Importa! the band continues to show who they are as they continue to display some of their influences while presenting their own identity. (cover for the EP) A Nadie Le Importa! kicks off with the fast-paced “Kiero Saber,” a hardcore tune that will definitely have listeners moshing. Then the band touches on the subject of the Puerto Rican diaspora with a love tune in the form of “Pah’nueva YoLk,” a tune influenced by the sounds of 2000s pop punk. Afterwards, “Dino & Nah!” shows some of the group’s skate and ska punk influences as well as some of their comedic and imaginative lyrics. Later, “M.O.D.A” displays some of the ensemble’s inspirations from glam rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s. Next, “Siempre” is a reflective tune that presents the members looking back at the past in order to enjoy the present through the sounds of pop punk. Closing the project is “Chekiamos,” a song that shows the group exploring a few different sounds through a variety of different instruments while keeping their identity. (group art found on their Facebook) As Modafoca continues to create music, the ensemble further display their influences as well as their ability to keep in touch with who they are. Hopefully, future projects will continue to show them experimenting in their own way.
Listen to A Nadie Le Importa! on Spotify One of the latest punk rock bands to emerge from the scene, Modafoca kicked off their career with the single “Kiero Bailar,” which would later be featured in their debut EP, Super Nah!, a display of a variety of punk and some psychedelic influences. (cover art) Super Nah! kicks off with its title track, which is a complete display of the band’s pop punk influences. Meanwhile, “Saiko Paiko” shows the group’s street punk inspirations. Next, “3 Hojas” is a display of the ensemble’s psychedelic influences while also serving as a calming tune to the fast-paced EP. Afterwards, “Kiero Bailar” puts things in motion once again as the group blend their pop punk and hardcore influences in an adrenaline political stance. Finally, the project ends with “Mi Pin-Up Girl” the group’s first party love song. (promo for the EP as found on the band’s Facebook) Overall, Super Nah! is a fantastic introduction to what seems to be one of the most promising punk rock groups to come out of the scene in a while with its various influences and fun energy.
Listen to Super Nah! on Spotify As one of the more active Puerto Rican independent trap artists in the diaspora, Charlie Boldman recently released SHOW $H*T, a short EP that demonstrates his lyrical abilities while presenting aggressive and punk-influenced trap. (cover for the project) Completely produced by Kyrill, SHOW $H*T kicks off with “17wase,” an experimental trap tune that mixes elements of bravado, storytelling and emotional lyrics, which will definitely have listeners moving in one way or another. Then, the short EP finishes with “Poptart,” a song that will definitely play well in dance floor, moshpit and exercise playlists as Boldman continues to expand his sound. (picture of the artist as found on his Soundcloud) With SHOW $H*T, Charlie Boldman continues to grow as an artist as he experiments with a different producer while keeping his storytelling and bravado intact.
Listen to SHOW $H*T on Soundcloud and Spotify As one of the Puerto Rican trap artists still making his way in the diaspora, Charlie Boldman has been constantly delivering various EPs and singles these past years. Recently, HXLLYWXXD DEMXN demonstrated his ability to continue making quality music that will have listeners moving either dancing, headbanging or creating moshpits. (cover art for the project) Kicking off HXLLYWXXD DEMXN is the project’s title track, a trap tune featuring ABE on more melodic vocals that will surely make audiences headbang and create moshpits in the crowd. Afterwards, the EP moves on to “CREME SXDA” a song that will definitely play well in strip clubs and any sort of party atmosphere that features lots of twerking. Then “ALEXANDER McQUEEN” shows the artist showing bravado while telling some of his reasons why he went to the diaspora. Finally, “LA” closes the EP with yet another party-driven beat that will surely have audiences bouncing everywhere as Boldman shows his lack of trust as well as his work ethic. (picture of the artist as found on his Soundcloud) In sum, HXLLYWXXD DEMXN continues to display Charlie Boldman’s growth as a young indie Puerto Rican trap artist who is slowly making his way across the American scene while telling parts of some of his adventures in the land up north so far.
Listen to HXLLYWXXD DEMXN on Spotify and Soundcloud As one of the members of the Puerto Rican diaspora, Mr. Kraken & the Wattz has been one to deliver singles every now and then to keep listeners in the island and all around happy. However, recently the group released their debut EP, DON CABRÓN, a fantastic display of influences over Kraken’s everchanging vocals. (cover art for the project) The project starts with “El Monologo de Don Cabron,” a tune that feels epic in scope with its haunting vocals mixed with alternative and psychedelic rock elements. Afterwards, Mr. Kraken collaborates with fellow Puerto Rican indie rock group Cologne on “Gregor Samsa,” a fantastically funky and danceable track that will play well in the dance floor. Then the EP turns to “Shape Shifter,” a bass-driven and haunting song that shows Mr. Kraken displaying horror influences alongside amped-up guitar solos. (picture of Mr. Kraken as found on their Facebook) The second half of DON CABRÓN starts with “Juncal,” which continues to display Mr. Kraken’s wide array of influences as synth pop and funk sounds are blent to create an easy going love song. Next, the EP continues with “Voodoo Octave,” one of the first singles ever released by Mr. Kraken, a track that displays the artist’s garage and blues rock influences. Finally, DON CABRÓN ends with “Elvis Has Left the Building,” a classic rock n’ roll-influenced song mixed with more modern sounds that seems to perfectly fit the narrative Mr. Kraken has been telling throughout the project, one about a musician who’s struggling with a vast variety of emotions as he tries to make something out of nothing. (picture of Mr. Kraken as found on their Facebook) As one of the most ambitious groups coming out of the scene right now, Mr. Kraken & the Wattz manage to deliver a very diverse debut EP in DON CABRÓN, which will definitely provide a bit of everything for people with different tastes musically, lyrically as well as a narrative that many can identify with. In sum, the EP shows Mr. Kraken & the Wattz’s ability to deliver fantastic results with the resources they have and I just can’t imagine what they have up their sleeves for future projects.
Listen to DON CABRÓN on Spotify As one of the most active duos in the underground trap scene, OMVR X JC have been known for straight hardcore trap blent with a few melodies and snap rap influences sprinkled around every now and then. However, their most recent EP, MUSICA DE TRAKETO, shows the brothers exploring new sounds and delivering some of their more traditional hardcore trap sound. (cover for the project) MUSICA DE TRAKETO kicks off with the SWXRVE4K-produced “PERSONAL,” an ethereal trap tune that shows the duo exploring new sounds while continuing to show how they can adapt their melodic/aggressive chemistry on a track that will definitely play well in the strip club. Then the duo collaborate with SWXRVE4K and 13AM once again on the synth-influenced and very danceable “EXPRESO,” another song that will surely play well in the strip club and late night scene. Finally, MUSICA DE TRAKETO closes with “AMBICIOSO,” a tune that sees the duo collaborate with Jose Yellow on the beat is a sound that will make fans of the hardcore trap roots proud. (picture of the duo as found on their Facebook) A young duo that isn’t afraid of experimenting, with MUSICA DE TRAKETO OMVR X JC continue to expand their catalogue with some synths and ethereal sounds that will definitely bring new listeners while “AMBICIOSO” will keep fans of hardcore trap happy.
Listen to MUSICA DE TRAKETO As they’ve shown in the past, OMVR X JC are some of the most active trap rappers in the Puerto Rican underground today. With Los de la 6ta Vol. 2, the duo continue to expand their sound and maintain their presence in the scene. (cover art for the project) Starting the project with a short but to the point intro, Los de la 6ta Vol. 2 quickly sets the standards for what this EP will be, nothing but hardcore trap. Afterwards, the project continues with “Popeye” featuring a beat by SWXRVE4K and additional vocals by Yamil Arany, a song that sees the musicians rapping and singing about the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll lifestyle. Then the duo jump on a Rojah beat where they continue to display their chemistry in some heavy-bass production influenced by elements of snap rap. Later, the duo jump on another SWXRVE4K beat accompanied by 13AM and FERRORI on “Tengo La Nueve” to show some of their most danceable production yet. Finally, Los de la 6ta Vol. 2 finishes with “Pa Usarla,” a solid hardcore trap tune that closes the EP with the duo’s regular blend of melodic-driven and aggressive flows. (picture of OMVR X JC as found on their Facebook) As they have continued to show again and again, OMVR X JC are one of the driving forces of the Puerto Rican underground trap movement as they are able to blend melodies and hardcore deliveries that can easily fuse with different producers and artists. Los de la 6ta Vol. 2 is yet another example of the duo’s continuous exploration of the sound they celebrate.
Listen to Los de la 6ta Vol. 2 on Spotify and Soundcloud "Portales": Marlon Frank Continues to Display Some Jazzy and Psychedelic Lo-Fi Hip Hop Instrumentals6/10/2019 While I did very little to maintain my blog in the past few months due to personal issues, the independent art scene in Puerto Rico, as you could imagine, kept pushing forward and this extended to artists living in the diaspora with Marlon Frank serving as a fantastic example of that with the release of his EP Portales, another display of his late night/lo-fi aesthetic-driven hip hop beats. (art for the project) The project kicks off with “Sleep with Me,” which slowly moves to “Violetoso,” two lo-fi hip hop beats that continue to demonstrate the young artist’s growing sound. Then Frank expands on said sound with “Hoja Roja,” an acoustic guitar-driven hip hop tune that will definitely have listeners relaxing, head bobbing and some even slow dancing. Afterwards, the EP continues with “Madrogada,” a track that will surely provide very late night imagery upon the audience's imagination. Finally, the project finishes with its title track, one that will trip listeners out with its ethereal, jazzy and psychedelic energy. (picture of the artist as found on his Bandcamp) As shown in the past, Marlon Frank continues to be one of the driving forces of Puerto Rican instrumental hip hop. As he recently stated in my podcast, he wishes to create more danceable music. However, in the meantime make sure to listen to Portales, which shows some of his more psychedelic and jazzy influences.
Listen to Portales on Spotify and Bandcamp |
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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