JCR Reviews
Hyphyskazerbox - E Street Review
Recommended tracks: This Stupid Love I-III, You've Left My Head, Upsir, Mount, Flex, ZZZZ, HushSomewhere in the northern bay area, amid the bougie housing developments made for “yuppies and [their] Teslas”, lays a lone street. With a press of a button, Hyphy captures a bold scenery. Dark trees surround the vacant road; a melancholic atmosphere contrasted with a clear path forward.
The album starts with “The Start Of Something Wonderful”, which accurately predicts my experience. A warm, cozy blanket of sound cascades over you, aided by the lulls of breathy vocal samples. It ramps up to a bewitching groove as you sway my head to the beat. The production quality is immediately fantastic, and as the intro ends, a smooth voice entices you to “sit back and relax.”
Suddenly, piano notes are suspend in mid-air as you enter the first part of “This Stupid Love”. The anticipation breaks as syncopated kicks, synths and then vocals all thrash about between your eardrums. The footwork-style influence (as Hyphy mentions in our brief interview) is as clear as the second half of the track, forming a sense of clarity. This transitions to the second part flawlessly, a common feeling throughout the album. “This Stupid Love II” features a slower, more methodical pace as it builds up to a steady groove you can lose yourself in. For the third and final part, you’re placed in a reverberated box with projected visions of new days as footage of clouds engulf every inch of that mind-space. (No? Just me?)
But just like countless tales of love and lost, the mind needs to move on and resume the chaos of human life. “You’ve Left My Head” is the rude, but much needed, reawakening. Its intro, a sort of frantic organization of thoughts, prepares you to fall back into the rhythm of who you were before you were distracted by love. Relentless side-chaining, every single texture of the song bowing out for every single kick.
And while “Relaxe” might give you a few seconds to breathe, you’ll never be ready for the rest. Sirens grate at your ears as fast punk-inspired pattern shoves you along. The track then evolves, further exemplifying Hyphy’s production ability to adapt her many influences into seamless transitions within each of the songs on the album.
I could go on and explain each track, but if any of these depictions seem at all captivating, please consider listening to the whole album. The second half of the album features even more intricate and alluring productions, perfect for hyping up car rides or any other mundane tasks. Although released back in 2016, E Street has already made its way to my list of albums that I probably won’t ever get tired of. Hyphy, who was a pleasure to talk to, also recommends Royalty and Skin Addict if you’re looking for similar sounds.
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jimmy c romero ♫ 2024