We're back with another batch of fresh local hip-hop. This week, Logistixx, of the fusion group Drop Switch, has dropped a video for his single, "Dreams," off of his New Paradigm LP, Myrical and labelmate Jasmine Love team up for a real easy listen called "Motivated" from his album of the same name, SP Double's brings fire on his new single "My Crown," and a new group, High Class, consisting of PIKE and Dreem, get alternative with a remix of Danish artist MØ.
See also: Find more homegrown hip-hop in our That's a Rap archives
Logistixx - "Dreams" Logistixx has an extremely sophisticated flow -- seemingly formless stream-of-consciousness as if it were off the dome, but much better written. In "Dreams," the flow is wholly unpredictable and thus fully engaging. The story Logistixx tells is detailed and full of images that stick around, the type of lyrics that reward with more listens. The beat is pure '90s bliss. Tell them haters to swallow.
Myrical - "Motivated" featuring Jasmine Love Myrical delivers an impassioned couple of verses with focus and clarity, helped in no small part by the simple but effective kinetic typography. The lyrics here are simple but have an understated, assured style: "Stay so authentic/Flow wet like I dove off in it." The Jasmine Love hook is cliché, but it sounds nice. This is a well-executed recipe for Myrical.
SP Double - "My Crown" SP Double comes with that fire for "My Crown," literally, check the video (which he directed, by the way). SP puts on a show of technical proficiency, packing multisyllable rhymes in quick-spitted triplets. More impressively, he changes his flow effectively throughout in ways that make sense musically. At times, his mouth can't quite keep up with his brain, and there are some minor enunciation issues, but overall, "My Crown" is a bold proclamation of local royalty, and an effective one at that.
High Class - "Pilgrim (Remix)" PIKE has always been a risk taker, and "Pilgrim" is no exception. The unconventional, slowed-down MØ remix turns out to be a pretty dope template for southern-style rap. These guys have a good ear for the energy of the song, and other than a couple of forced or awkward lines from Dreem, their phrasing is tailored well to the music. Lyrically, PIKE's verse is confident, skillful and stylish. Dreem certainly has his own thing going for him, and he gets a couple of good lines in, but the flow leaves room for improvement.
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