FEATURED ARTIST
TOP NINJA
Clearwater, United States
*ROOFTOPS*
REVIEW
#TOPNINJA has released #ROOFTOPS in collaboration with #BagBoyOnaCloud and #NezUtta. #ROOFTOPS is a 12-track album that integrates Lofi beats, Gangster Rap, Workout beats, and more! So, let's go through this track by track!
#Condo opens the album with a choppy electric piano before bringing autotune vocals, talk of Codine and women, heavy 808s, and a catchy trap drum loop. I love the distant guitar riffs that lurk in the background, they stood out to me in between the heaviness of the track.
#PenthouseCypher comes in heavy! My immediate thought here was - this track is something that would fit in as a #FastAndFurious soundtrack! The urgency of the synth, the heaviness of the bass, and the sheer heaviness of the other instruments create something that truly gets your adrenalin shooting through your veins.
#ItsDaThroatForMe strips things down in the introduction with a spiral of layered vocals, a heavy 808, trap drum loop, and bell synth lurking in the background. The energy remains here even though the track steers towards lofi. The hook is catchy here and works well.
#Testimony brings back the fight that is found in #PenthouseCypher through its heavy keys, 808s, and drum loops. The rap flow is hard and skillful. This is definitely a track for your workout playlists. This track slows things down in vocal style to provide a different side to their artistry. The lyrics get embedded in your mind - a few examples - "She want Gucci, she like Louis" and "make it reappear abracadabra". This track is a guilty pleasure of mine.
#Steve brings a little sprinkle of Latin America through its main synth melody. The heavy 808s carry this track through to give the rap flow a bed to rest on. I love the way that the beat creates something fresh - it works well to break up the feel of the album.
#Juice has a confessional tone. The track talks of humble beginnings with the beat acting as a backdrop to the fight for success. The track talks of a journey from rags to riches, and again, women - "Turned nothing into something". There are several rap flows here that work really well to distinguish the artists. Again, a really catchy hook here.
#OnDaWknd has a great opening melody that sets you up for a track that is full of high energy. Again we hear the heavy 808s. The repetitiveness of the phrase "Busin' it" offers a vibe that you can't help but catch on to. Several flows are present in this track too and in part of the track the autotuned vocals flow reflect similar to #Future.
#Chosen takes a darker turn in its drill style productive elements. This offers something fresh to the listener again, love it. I like the way that the panning works in this piece, it adds a whole different vibe that is all consuming.
#Rosebuds takes a step into something that mixes the heaviness of 808s with the smoothness of hip-hop, soul and R&B. This track has got to be my favorite on the album so far - Again offing another side to these artists.
#ComeThru slows it down even more with high pitched vocal samples, melodic hip-hop drum loops and autotuned vocals that offer more a more melody sung addition to the album. The rap flows are slower and work to offer something that is easy to love and sing along to. I really felt this track - Trapsoul hits me differently. I would recommend that you listen to this track 100%.
#Rider does a full 360 turn right back into the heaviness that is found in the tracks prior to the previous two. Heaqvy 808s, scatty trap loops and drill synths are all present here along with rap vocals and some sung elements. The hook works well, the verses talk of women getting down and nasty.
#SendEmIn is a great track to conclude this project! It takes everything to the next level. It's one of those tracks that you need to listen to when life begins to tred you down, when you know that you need to tap into your fighter energy. A perfect track for your workout playlists or when you need to tap into fight mode during fight or flight moments. Out of all the tracks on the album choosing this one to conclude the project was 100% the correct move. #SendEmIn makes sure that you won't forget these artists in a hurry.
Out of these 12 tracks some stood out to me more than others - not because they lacked talent or skill but because they offered the creme de la creme in an industry of high competition. I would recommend this whole album but my top tracks are #PenthouseCypher, #Rosebuds, #ComeThru, #SendEmIn.
Have a listen using the link below - there's something for every rap lover in this project!