When you think of Houston hip-hop, you're gonna think about leaned up, chill hip-hop fraught with synths and smooth basslines a la DJ Screw, or you're going to think about menacing, hard-hitting hip-hop a la Point Blank. Lyrically though, the two styles are quite similar, usually dealing with gang violence, heavy drug use, and the problems of everyday life as a gangster. Which is why it's strange that The Hue, a collective made up of emcees from H.I.S.D. and producers from Radio Galaxy, made Aurora, which sounds more like a soulful west-coast hip-hop album than a record straight from the purple city. Yet, that's how it is, with knowledgeable, clever lines and addicting hooks being crafted over jazzy, neo-soul-influenced production. They attempt to give a spacey and wondrous aesthetic to the music, and it works very well through both the production by King Midas and DJ Cozmos and the wonderful vocal chops that Spacebunny Jefferson possesses. It's a pretty tantalizing record due to these factors, so if you enjoy chill, soulful hip-hop/neo-soul, The Hue has you covered.
2 Bumps | Bump |
