Richmond, VA – Roc Raw has done it again – an album that explores the complexities of life and features his artistry and skills as a musician. On April 23rd his latest project entitled “Carte Blanche” was released. This 13-track album encapsulates a diverse set of moods — from personal thoughts to societal anthems, this album has it all. With the collaboration of some great names such as Habeeb, Hawk, Logos, The Poetic, B.O.G, BC Music 1st, King Preme, Sonny Kolfax, and Robalu, this album guarantees great musical goodness.
Dontae Dynamite’s beats are the solid foundation of Roc Raw’s music. With style and production that emphasizes the dynamic beats and soulful sounds that complement the tracks, each song offers a different style – a different type of spice. The album opens with the track, “Intro”, a worthy opener for the album to set up the mood and vibe. It introduces sounds of melancholic piano that build up into a crescendo of explosive boom-bap with undertones of swirling strings. With all these elements, it highlighted the delivery of Roc Raw’s lines – it is choppy yet commanding, offering music that tells stories of people with rebellious spirits.
Dynamic elements that work perfectly in a track are a signature of this album. These specifically stood out on the tracks “Already Dead” and “One Comet”. Roc Raw’s signature delivery of lines has proven to be a great storyteller, it perfectly complements the production and how the elements were placed in the tracks. It is intriguing and awesome – a definite vibe.
“Carte Blanche” does not only deliver solid music; Roc Raw has invited some of the finest in the industry to add to the goodness of this album. With the track “Cassanova Frankenstein” HAWK delivers his fiery verses that add a great contrast to the album’s energy which can also be connected to the track “No Gods”. Featuring two great artists, Habeeb and Robalu, their gritty and fierce delivery of lines highlights the authenticity of the music that this album provides.
“That BS” featuring B.O.G on the other hand offers a different spice in the album. While this track sounded fresh, this can still be connected to the classic hip-hop vibe that this album offers. This track specifically highlighted undertones of great female vocals that blend successfully with the signature style of roc raw in this release. The vocals are top-notch – it is clear, crisp, and soulful. Certainly, a must-listen.
“Amistaad” featuring King Preme is the lead track for this album. It exudes a chill vibe yet the grit is there. Diving deeper into the goodness of this album, there’s the track “Feeding the Bots”. It is fiery. The delivery of the lines was spitfire – it is carefully measured, the delivery is well-thought and the lyrics are carefully placed which did a great deal to the vibe of the song. The dynamics and combination of line lines and the beats are just satisfyingly great to listen to and the line “I never lose” is an absolute best fit for the song – it is unchallenged – an undefeated king. Moreover, the track “God Looks Like Angie Stone” is a personal favorite. Not only because it displays the great delivery of lines of the artists but most especially because the song has soft underlines of piano on its production. It is easy to remember and a sure-fire earworm. The repetitive lines and the female vocals work perfectly with the song. It’s a vibe!
This album also features the following great songs, “Dream Big”, “Insomnia’, “Hoodrat Things With My Friends feat. BC Music 1st, Logos the Poetic and Sonny Kolfax”, and “John Nash”. All the tracks in this album exhibit sophistication in their technicalities. Some of the tracks employ masterful vocal layering and solid classic hip-hop beats that add depth to Roc Raw’s music. All these characters, themes, and elements presented in the album show a striking originality to this album and its whole production.
One thing is sure, in terms of classic indie hip-hop, “Carte Blanche” is a fiery one. It is compelling and emotionally resonant to the listeners. It plays with the elements of soulfulness yet features lyrics that are intriguing and thought-provoking. This album fully showcases the full power of Roc Raw’s potential as an artist. For listeners who crave authenticity and carefully and meticulously made hip-hop music, “Carte Blanche” is a must-listen.
Keep up with Roc Raw on his socials and Check out this album here: https://renaissance-recordings.com/carte-blanche-roc-raw
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