Isai Morales is not the type of artist that likes to put music in your face. Ever since we got a chance to speak with him this past summer, he’s been dropping singles from his album NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Now that we have the entire project, its clear that it was worth the wait.
Something about the way that Isai carries himself allows his music to hit with a level of authenticity that’s hard to find in a generation full of relentless self promotion. Many artists at the level of Isai’s talent let it impact their ego and ultimately their music, but as Morales continues to grow his lyrics and online presence continue to represent his humble and heartfelt approach to art.
This is an album that feels like it can’t be reviewed track by track. If you’ve heard it already you understand, while each track does shift enough to blur genres between a smooth r&b to lo-fi rap the album is as a whole, one.
Artists Joei Razook and Jess Gallo are the only two vocal features of the 13 track album, however Isai also includes complimentary “Papers at the Backwoods Party” interlude from fellow Ohio rapper BEOFFICIAL. While Isai produces half of the project himself, producers the grinde, Air Kalo, crewsheff, emilio morales, and a handful of others contribute.
“NO PLACE LIKE HOME” flows so well as an entirety listening all the way through is an effortless experience, but if you want a sampling of the best of this project “Distance feat. Jess Gallo prod. Emilio Morales” is a good place to start. The intro alone feels overwhelmingly comfortable; it’s both hypnotic and addicting and it only gets better. Isai’s deepened, beautiful lines like “I do it like my life’s on the line for it, and I do it and I’m bout to lose my mind for it,” lead straight into Jess Gallo’s angelic hook that compliments the distant, pulsing beat leaving listeners with goosebumps.
If you enjoy the intro of that song but also want a brighter sound from Isai, listen to “Trip.” While it might lean towards a more traditional lyrical style, the composition of the song still holds to Isai’s best quirks. The beat is similar in its muffled pulses to “Distance”, but is also distinctly different than its cousin’s in the overall lack of hesitancy with his drum kits.
This is the album you’ll be letting loop on any aux you’re handed anywhere for the beginning of 2019, it’s the perfect music to accompany unwinding after a long week or enjoying a relaxing night with friends. In the month since “NO PLACE LIKE HOME” was released, Isai dropped single “A SONG FOR AN ALIEN INVASION” which is a delight in name, concept, and most definitely sound. Give Isai a follow to be sure to catch anything he has in store for this year.