Friday Afternoon Rap Roundup: Durkalini
In an effort to continue CABBAGES' overarching mission of independent hip-hop/rap music discovery, I'm trialing this new weekly series to let readers know about new releases from artists grinding and thriving outside of the major label system. Each installment of 'Friday Afternoon Rap Roundup' will feature one highlighted album review/recommendation, plus a short selection of new or recently dropped projects for your weekend listening consideration.
Like this feature? Hate it? Send feedback directly: contact@cabbageshiphop.com
Release Highlight of the Week:
Durkalini & SURF GANG, CHURCH & SURF (buy it / stream it)
When Evilgiane dropped his #HEAVENSGATE VOL. 1 compilation earlier this year, the NYC-based producer left a few sneaky breadcrumbs of what his SURF GANG crew had in store for 2024. Already riding high on 2023 placements for Baby Keem, Earl Sweatshirt, and Veeze, to name a few, he all-but buried one of the project's best cuts by leaving it for dead last. A copyright-strike resistant Fergie interpolation, "GLAMOROUS" trembled with impenetrable bass frequencies and ultra-trebly rhythms as heavily-autotuned rapper Durkalini floated over the Woesum co-production. Most vocalists would have been smothered if not eradicated by this apocalyptic post-trap sound weapon, the Connecticut-based sensation behind Milwaukee-informed joints "BMF 4" and "No Rehab Part 3" emerged super-heroic despite the closing cut's aural radioactivity.
Now, just months after oozing out the psychotropic EVILSLIME with Georgia's Slimesito, evilgiane and his production cohorts Eera and Harrison give the self-described Pyro Pillionaire his own SURF GANG spotlight. Just ten songs long, CHURCH & SURF spends just under 20 minutes sermonizing, though the vibes resonate for long thereafter. Not infrequently, his vocals skirt the edge of the beat on opener "FREAKS OUT," suggesting some Blueface-esque tendencies. By the next track "RATHER BE SAFE 2," his presumably punched-in verses color beautifully outside of the lines, his delivery shifting throughout lest anyone accuse him of complacency. When the track behooves him to hold his position, as on "GREEN CARD" and the slightly shambolic "OBJECTION," he maintains a melodic edge that makes up for a seeming disinterest in convenient hooks. Titles aside, "BOTTEGA BOOTS" and "CARTIER WIRES" surpass rap's usual designer brand namedropping, as Durkalini opts to keep it surreal rather than merely real.
Here are some other new albums, EPs, and mixtapes from independent hip-hop/rap artists and labels worth your time this weekend:
Alaska & Steel Tipped Dove, Reverberations Of A Dead Man's Ego (buy it/stream it)
38 Spesh, Mother & Gun (buy it/stream it)
JUNECINEMA, PERSEVERANCE (buy it / stream it)
Jae Skeese, Ground Level (buy it / stream it)
Tre Loaded, LOADED (buy it / stream it)
Johnny Ciggs & John Canada, John Juan (buy it / stream it)
garfunkle & Marcus Pinn, Moses Malone (buy it / stream it)