The Outcastkid – Outcast In Rapture [EP]

Full disclosure… I was recently called out online for sleeping on this Outcast In Rapture project from The Outcastkid. This site is a one-man show so I can’t get around to everything that crosses my path. That being said, I made a note to check out this EP ASAP. I did so not out of guilt, but because the whole point of this site is to shine a light on indie artists, and here was a young independent artist telling me loud and clear that I was making a mistake by letting their work fly under my radar. And honestly, I have to admit that little brother was right because Outcast In Rapture is a strong album that has imagination, creativity, and a truly organic quality to it.

Album opener “Headed To Rapture” is an uptempo freestyle that touches on Outcastkid‘s drive to succeed as an artist and just showcase how nice he is with the rhymes. The song is youthful, vibrant, and full of bravado as he strides defiantly across waves of synthesizer strings and a boxy 808 drum kit. I could easily imagine hearing this track playing on the soundtrack of a game like Madden or NBA Live.

This live introduction is followed by a track called “Hotbox In The Bathysphere” – a tune that mellows things out a bit as Outcast offers up a laid-back smoker’s anthem that has a moonlit sax sample rolling along in the background. Next up is “Smell The Roses” which continues to build on the chilled energy of “Hotbox…” by laying out a slower, more syrupy beat for the New York-based wordsmith to lay out his “…put the stress down and put your fucking blunts up” creed over. Our tour guide for the ride raps about enjoying life’s moments and making the most of our time instead of letting a “hunter-like craving” rule our lives. Outcastkid runs through different melodic flows on this track and creates a piece that feels free-flowing and expansive.

“Rapture We Lit” returns to the chest-out-proud spirit of “Headed To Rapture” – sporting punchy trap drums and a low-lit melody that allows the listener to focus on Outcastkid’s seemingly off-the-top-of-the-head freestyle. Admittedly, “Rapture We Lit” doesn’t sound as focused as “Headed To Rapture” and seems to lose a little of its forward motion towards the second half of the track. Still, even that isn’t enough to keep it from being a bumpin’ addition to the EP. The album closes with the somber tone of “Living in Rapture”, which is also a “let me talk my shit” type bragging track that’s set to a somewhat haunting trap beat. It’s at this point that I start to feel that Outcast in Rapture would benefit greatly from a thematic change of pace. With its serious tone already set via its darker instrumental, It’s hard not to feel as though “Living In Rapture” would’ve been better served as a more plot-driven/cautionary tale type of song.

Overall, the rhymes and production on Outcast in Rapture are both pretty solid and there’s a bit of nostalgia peppered into the EP’s modern feel. By the end of the album, you get the feeling that this is more of a preview of the artist’s ability to make something great and not necessarily a full-out attempt at greatness itself. I think that The Outcastkid has a great future ahead of him so long as he continues to work on his music and perfect his sound. As it stands, he’s making tracks that can stand side by side with acts like JID and Bas in any playlist that spotlights nu-era hip hop music.

You can show your support by streaming the Outcast In Rapture EP on your favorite digital music spot below as well as check out more from The Outcast Kid by visiting the links listed.

Stream & buy The Outcast Kid’s music on…
( Amazon | Apple_Music | Bandcamp | Deezer | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube_Music )

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