As the independent music scene continues to grow in Puerto Rico more underground genres like lo-fi hip hop are further explored. One of the artists to embrace this aesthetic and mix it up with other subgenres has been young musician Reyes †††. Last year, in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the artist released his first full length mixtape Luna en el Dia where he displayed influences that ranged from regular boom bap rap to house music and psychedelia. In his new project Tazas de Amargura, the rapper continues to display his influences while being introspective in his lyrics. (cover art for the project by Milton Perez) From the start of the project, “Tazas de Amargura Intro”, to the end, ”No Quieres Hablar”, the first full-length album by Reyes ††† features introspective lyrics. Take for example the second tune in the project, “Carta Para Mis Mejores Amigos”, where he touches on the subject of missing communication and connections with his best friends due to the separation caused by immigration, a struggle often felt by Puerto Ricans who have been forced to live between the island and the diaspora. Meanwhile, in other songs like “Ojos Vendados” and “La Demencia”, the young rapper touches on the current political and economic landscape of Puerto Rico and how these affect the mental wellbeing of the entire community. On the other hand, songs like “Solo Hablando” and “Mejor” explore communication and love and how these may affect one another. However, while most of the project may be mostly introspective that does not mean Reyes ††† isn’t one to have fun as he perfectly displays in “Sensaciones” where he explores the sound of trap to deliver a banger alongside frequent collaborator Gucci and Cayey rapper Mike Rodz. (artwork for the track list by Milton Perez) While most of Reyes †††’s output thus far has been distinguished for its lo-fi aesthetic, Tazas de Amargura shows more of his influences. Take for example the aforementioned “Sensaciones” with Gucci and Mike Rodz where he takes a step towards trap, as far as sound. Meanwhile other songs like “Tiempo Lento” and “No Quieres Hablar” see him going deeper into the fields of psychedelic and ambient music. Furthermore, the young rapper continues to explore other hip hop subgenres with songs like “Razones” and “Solo Hablando” that feature jazz rap beats and “Cartas Para Mis Mejores Amigos” which delves into traditional boom bap. (picture by Fernando E. E. Correa Gonzalez) In short, Tazas de Amargura is a solid project by Reyes ††† who continues to present promise as a young musician still in formation. With this new project, the rapper expands his musical repertoire as he explores sounds like trap, jazz rap, psychedelia and a bit of ambient while managing to balance introspection, social commentary and a banger to have a perfect musical combination for the start of classes.
Listen to Tazas de Amargura on Soundcloud
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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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