Looking for a hip-hop record that tears apart the genre as we know it and reinvents the rap game with an inimitable flair of artistry? Chang’s brand new single, Exhaust has got your back. From its cat meow samples to its lyrical twist on spoken word poetry, this track paints an outcast scene where experimental jazz finally got its hands on hip-hop, melting its tropes and quirks into an almost unrecognisable mould that’s as innately addictive to listen to as it is unusual.
An atmospheric intro where R&B and world music comes tinted with hints of gospel, breaks down into a pop synth sampler loosely lined by echoing vocals; gutted of the over-dramaticisation that usually distorts the flow of rap lyrics, but delivered pure and almost ominously with a dark twist of realism.
But as the ‘meow’ sampler fizzles into silence, a second eccentric backdrop emerges. Arrangements inspired by electric pianos and string sections start to conjure a soundscape where French cafe music meets old-school Nintendo game soundtracks, carved with an industrial break carrying hints of EDM and rap scene traditions. Moods shift as seamlessly as the genre as the artist challenges the limits of modern hip hop, unleashing its staple sounds on Chang’s open-ended road of serene reinterpretations and surprises as unpredictable as tsunami waves.
Overall, we’re huge fans of any artist who dares to break down their own genre to attain that phoenix-like reinvention of sound, leaving us with one final verdict for Chang’s Exhaust: Highly Recommended.
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