There are just some artists that stand out from the get-go for injecting a lot of personality into their records, and really giving them their own character. Such an artist is Boot Raymond, who at only 16 years old is already carving out his own sound- a dusty, astral take on abstract hip-hop, paired with introspective lyricism and deft, vivid storytelling. He draws you into his world with his debut album maim, a set of tracks that hypnotize with various soulful soundscapes that include a layered sense of depth. From the wistful, nostalgic air and smooth rhymes of opener “black sambas” with KIDD to the expansive sounds of “fein4love”, mixed by @croko.moko, to the reverent beauty of “another praise”, each moment on maim seems to be packed with character and heart. He shows diversity in his sound as well- with the melodic airiness of “left me behind” to the crawling, charismatic “souf soup”, a chemistry-rich posse cut, Raymond keeps the listener on their toes on his debut album maim while simultaneously providing a highly cohesive listening experience. If you are a fan of MIKE, billy woods, Earl Sweatshirt, and the like, this very well might be a record for you. Give Boot Raymond’s latest album maim a listen here now on our platform and further familiarize yourself with the rising artist.
Cover art by @who.azan
