GALLOWAYYYS
ANGELS WITH FANGS, PT. 1
Los Angeles, United States
Moving hip-hop into the synth space was bound to happen eventually. With artists more experimental now than it feels they have ever been, you know that some grandiose tunes were to come of this meeting. And my oh my they sure have. ‘ANGELS WITH FANGS, PT.1’ the EP from Gallowayyys is a fine example of experimentation in the synth space while bringing in a whole new influence. The songs are massive, the scale is utterly impressive and the speed of the music is mind-numbing. Where synth has no start, no uptake in sound, it's just instant, you can create melodies that cannot exist anywhere else and that is exactly what Gallowayyys has done. ‘ANGELS WITH FANGS, PT.1’ is huge, expansive and utterly impressive. And it's only three songs long.
The first track on the EP, ‘DYE IT RED,’ is a solid foundation for the sounds to grow from. The bass is solid and sits in the back. The vocals are modern, high and clear, covered in filters that meld them to the melody. As the bass comes to headers with the vocals, the percussion jumps in. Synth, all the while climbing in the back, building the tension and leading us to the chorus. The lyrics are quick, and the flow is subtle but it's there in the front. The hardcore hip-hop feel sits back and hits an R&B vibe, holding onto the reigns of pop and taking us on a scenic ride around Gallowayyys mind-space. It's masterful, and it's simple. But don’t get used to simple, oh no friend. This is where it ends.
‘PINK LEMONADE’ throws the rulebook out the window. Synths rain down, you can hear each individual note-drop. They hit the floor and shimmer against the oily tarmac. The vocals are pelting it down the runway, somehow keeping their breath steady and maintaining the pace of the instrumental. It's bright, it's vibrant, and you never know where it's going to turn next. It veers off course, a chorus up ahead! When you hit it, the world slows down and begins to make sense. This is not chaos, but colour in song. The lyrics brought you here and they can take you back. As long as you do it their way. With feeling, with rhythm, and with conviction.
The final song on the EP is titled ‘STICKY FINGERS (:),’ and it is the lovechild of the previous two tracks. It takes the melodic simplicity that we find in ‘DYE IT RED’ and hones it to a point. The rhythm keeps time, the melody follows suit, the vocals surf on top, the hero of the song. What ‘STICKY FINGERS (:)’ takes from ‘PINK LEMONADE’ is its wild synths. They beep and pull, winding melodies here, there, and everywhere. Pulling tones and textures through your hair until it’s thick with braids. The beat splashes out and the synths pop up into the sky, will they crash back down? Or grow wings and fly? Only one way to find out. Listen for yourself. Gallowayyys has created a musical fission generator of ideas. It's bold, it's new and it’s a dream to listen to. ‘ANGELS WITH FANGS, PT. 1’ is only the beginning. And I, for one, cannot wait to see what PT. 2 brings.
LINKS