Robert Gaston, better known in the music business as Escoleone, was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. His EP “Memoirs” typically narrates struggles and principals that anybody from the ghetto can relate to. The rapper lost his father at the age of 14, and was forced to mature quicker than most. “Memoirs” sets the palette of rich and lively production that beautifully illuminates the powerful and prominent delivery Escoleone revels in. Each song sets a tone of honesty and introspection, fitting the sequence of quality narratives like a tailor-made suit. The production and the lyricism combines emphatically to carry out what is promised with the foreshadowing of the vulnerable and observant opening track, “Blame” which proves to be one of the many excellent moments of this recording.
I feel disbelief toward the fact it only takes twenty minutes to listen to every inch of this project – making the replay value incredibly high – Escoleone creates a perfect infusion of the artist’s creativity and the instrumentation – truly every aspect has been paid painstaking detail to.
The project continues the excellence delivered by the opening track, “The Warning” elevates the EP’s stature to the next level, as the visceral track builds off incredible lyrical imagery and a resonating bottom that booms out of the speakers. The intense verses whizz through and grabs attention from the get-go.
On “Made”, Escoleone comes in sounding more direct than on other cuts, with a fiery vibe and strong energy. Incredibly multi-layered whilst simultaneously appearing seamless and simple, the chemistry on this track exudes effortlessness. It perfectly encapsulates what you hear – a rich and colorful tapestry of street poetry that intrigues and is quite a wonder to marvel at.
The chilling supportive plethora of chant-like background vocals on “Never Tell”, adds layers of depth on top of the raw reverberating rap laid down by Escoleone. The song also features a really grabbing chorus.
The project ends with impending unstoppable force that is the groove forged on the smooth “Visions”. Impacting and enticing, the warm shimmering keys ride the rustic hip-hop beat stacking soulful vibes. The whole track is pitched to Escoleone’s emotional range, and he radiates the image of being a man on a search for truth, while looking at life’s realities.
One of them being the need for money. Escoleone’s delivery blurs the line between singing and rapping, and there’s an intuitive grace to the way his voice trips across the track. Regardless of your empathy towards this artist, you must respect him if you truly appreciate music.
Not only are the lyrics so meaningful, all across “Memoirs”, but the production is also gorgeous from start to finish. There is so much information, emotion, and motivation, created and shared on this project. For that reason alone, I think everyone needs to listen to it.
But beyond the big statements, is the synthesis of a musical promise – an artist ready to indulge and sprawl his gritty yet spotless talents, for all to see. Escoleone is the product of easily identifiable kaleidoscopic excellence, which he consistently flips to keep fresh. This is perhaps the most profound aspect of such an inventive yet downright grounded project.
NOTE: Lookout for the brand new single “Heir” by Escoleone, which tells the story of the tough decisions he had to make after his father was murdered. The track releases on September 30th 2019, which marks the 12th year anniversary of his father’s death.
OFFICIAL LINKS: MUSIC STREAMS – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – TWITTER
