For those who have been following the epic rise of Buffalo's Griselda Records — who signed a deal with Eminem's Shady Records imprint just over a year ago — a new release by Conway the Machine shouldn't require a review to co-sign its quality. His most recent release, last December's G.O.A.T. mixtape, was packed with bars, though a lack of variation in production left it very dark and monochromatic. His latest effort, Blakk Tape, though almost entirely produced by Griselda mainstay Deringer, provides a more well-rounded vibe without sacrificing any of Con's trademark ultra-grimy aesthetic.
The tape kicks off with the dark piano keys of "1 Night Drive," which establishes the (lyrical) energy for the project. It's a vibe that carries across other tracks, such as the eerie vibes of "Fish Fry" and "Rare Form." It's when he takes on different types of production, and lets straight-up gun talk balance itself with more lyrical bars (see "Alpaca") that his real potential shines through.
Songs like "Puzo," a reference to The Godfather author Mario Puzo, the almost spacey sounds of "Eight Birds" produced by Harlem beatsmith V Don, and the '90s boom bap organ keys on the Bozack Morris-produced "Biscotti Biscuit" help provide breaks in his usual melancholy production choices.
"Pavement," a record dedicated to those he lost, is full of humility — showing another side of Con: beyond being an aggressor, he's experienced the heart-wrenching losses of street life.
Conway has yet to drop an official major label release since the Shady deal which — for those not aware — made Con and his brother Westside Gunn the first Buffalo rappers to sign a major label deal. Still, a string of mixtapes have kept his buzz up, and Blakk Tape should no doubt bring it to a fever pitch. A little less doom and gloom isn't a bad thing; if Conway still isn't on your list of most anticipated, its time to get on the bandwagon.
(Griselda)The tape kicks off with the dark piano keys of "1 Night Drive," which establishes the (lyrical) energy for the project. It's a vibe that carries across other tracks, such as the eerie vibes of "Fish Fry" and "Rare Form." It's when he takes on different types of production, and lets straight-up gun talk balance itself with more lyrical bars (see "Alpaca") that his real potential shines through.
Songs like "Puzo," a reference to The Godfather author Mario Puzo, the almost spacey sounds of "Eight Birds" produced by Harlem beatsmith V Don, and the '90s boom bap organ keys on the Bozack Morris-produced "Biscotti Biscuit" help provide breaks in his usual melancholy production choices.
"Pavement," a record dedicated to those he lost, is full of humility — showing another side of Con: beyond being an aggressor, he's experienced the heart-wrenching losses of street life.
Conway has yet to drop an official major label release since the Shady deal which — for those not aware — made Con and his brother Westside Gunn the first Buffalo rappers to sign a major label deal. Still, a string of mixtapes have kept his buzz up, and Blakk Tape should no doubt bring it to a fever pitch. A little less doom and gloom isn't a bad thing; if Conway still isn't on your list of most anticipated, its time to get on the bandwagon.