Graves is undoubtedly a diamond in the rough. With his new EP Hilo, Graves seems to shine brighter than ever. Each track explores a new element to his music, while still coming together to bring a cohesive feel.
Genesis
Graves starts us out with his track “Genesis”, which has hard hitting brass and an incredible build. I think it was a good choice to start the EP since it contains no features and is pure Grave-y goodness.
Meta ft. bbno$
His second track, features the rapper bbno$ who arguably adds quite a bit to the track. The melody fills in the space between his verses, and gives us the familiar sound we have come to know and love from Graves. I hope he puts out more content like this in the future!
Need You ft. Rayless & Mitch Geist
Graves’s third track, “Need You” featuring Rayless & Mitch Geist slows the EP down and gives it a more reflective vibe. The vocals are drowned out in the melody, and the use of the guitar gives it an eastern feel.
Blame ft. LocateEmilio
The fourth track “Blame”, featuring LocateEmilio has an extremely somber feel, which isn’t out of place since “Need You” set us up for a slower tempo. The piano chords complement the vocals very well and make the track whole. This slower tempo kind of gives a sense of the feeling of the EP as a whole.
Let Me Go ft. Lil Traffic, Aviella, Hex Cougar
The fifth track “Let Me Go” features Lil Traffic, Aviella, and Hex Cougar. This track has the most variety as it incorporates rap and high pitched female vocals, and weaves them together to create an extremely solid track. The track finishes off with strings that 100% took my breath away.
Hilo ft. Boombox Cartel
The last track on the album titled “Hilo” features Boombox Cartel. It is quite understandable why he chose this to be the name of the EP as it is quite easily one of the best trap songs to come out this year. The unique saws and stylistic choices of boombox cartel and Graves came together so beautifully, I had to sit down and listen to it several times to appreciate all of the elements infused into the track. Overall this EP was more than I could ask for from one of my favorite trap artists to date!
