Our last import shipment of from the US was mostly of the loud guitar variety. There were a few exceptions though, including this excellent record, our introduction to veteran of Virginia Hip Hop, Nickelus F.
'Stuck' hits a thrilling balance of off-hinged but hook-filled, abstract but gritty. It reminds me of the most expressive aspects of the late 90s underground Hip Hop boom, while avoid any boring “keep it real” sentiments and embracing the fun of contemporary Southern Hip Hop mutations.
Real darkness and introspectiveness creep in on side 2, with a certified banger closing the album. ‘Drop You In A Rivah’ is like a Tommy Wright III or cassette era Three 6 Mafia beat updated with some Dilla-ish cosmic jazz samples and an almost DJ Rashad-like energy (if you added a few dozen beats per minute). It’s been ‘stuck’ to our turntable since its arrival! - Nic