The brand new album “iAwake”, presents a new wave of Psychedelic & Electronic Hiphop and Rock, entirely written, produced, and recorded by Mindz I (mind’s eye). Mindz I is an emerging hip-hop artist, producer and musician from Trenton, New Jersey, who is taking the music scene to another level with his powerful sound and psychedelic visuals. Instruments, samples, technology and rhymes blend in a universal message for the times. I have been turning my nose to rap and hip hop recently, and for good reason. Most of the trash you hear is the same old recycled bullshit you’ve heard mainstreamed a thousand times already. Beats that are less original than school yard table pounding rap sessions.
Yet even when I say that I cannot forget that rap still features passion-driven artists, who use the medium as an extension of their very person. They experiment for a sound and feel which at first may seem misplaced, only to then certify its existence as a perfect element for the progression of the genre.
Mindz I is one of those artists, and “iAwake” is his expression. Mixed with genuine and creative lyrics carried by what would be on its own unusual samples and beats, somehow blend together to create one amazing listening experience.
Mindz I is an artist who validates Rap as a medium. I suggest him to anyone who wants better music in their life. When I first put this album into my rotation, it sat around, not quite hooking quickly, but by the second full listen it struck me hard. “iAwake” is almost completely unlike anything out there in the hip hop spectrum right now.
Actually, you can erase the word ‘almost’ from my previous statement. Not only that, but the album maintains a very spacey sound enhanced by a rich sonic atmosphere of odd, trippy effects – both in the beats and the vocals.
This, to me, is where hip hop needs to be. The music is so spare and yet lusciously resonating. It puts so many artists to shame I dare not name all of them but let’s just say “iAwake” is a legend killer. It hits you hard and right where you want it to.
After you listen to the whole record, you may just go out and tell everybody and anybody, how you really feel about this. I stand by this as one of the most creative, innovative, and captivating rap albums of the year. Even to this day, Mindz I sounds like he was beamed in from another planet with the shifting, rhythmic sounds of this album.
As the album opens with “The Abstraction” and then moves onto “Lyrical Light Saber” and “3 Jewelz”, you will I immediately fall for the innovative beats and production, as well as Mindz I’s excellent rapping over top of them. But they don’t even touch the tip of this iceberg of talents.
It’s when the groove gets into “The Great Bizarre” and “The Live Wire” that you fully realize Mindz I’s potential, and that he is taking rap to a place that it hasn’t really gone before. There’s been a lot of really interesting developments in experimental electronic-based music recently. But, Mindz I’s hip-hop experiments differ from those of other artists partly because he has the advantage of creative perspective.
“Road Tripp (Green Light)” ft. Greenlight Gordon & Tiffany Hill, only serves to confirm that Mindz I can deliver killer verses, while collaborating in a highly melodic environment. But, when it comes down to it, Mindz I really just sounds like a bigger, better version of himself when compared to his previous releases.
He takes the futuristic direction he outlined on those earlier works and fleshes it out to make some truly mind-bending music, which is perfectly showcased on “S.W.E.D.”, “Mysteryland” (ft. Just-One) and “Outie 5000”. If you want something different from traditional hip hop – And probably a little ahead of its time – you should definitely get “iAwake”.
You can listen to the full new album “iAwake” on YouTube HERE.
OFFICIAL LINKS: WEBSITE – SOCIAL MEDIA: @mindzisite
