The Dark, Lo-fi sounds of Oshawa native Freddie Dredd are an entity perfect for the OG rap kids who grew up on Memphis-inspired sounds that pioneered the online scene today. Spinning it on it’s head with his own twist, Dredd’s music lifts the vintage samples, sinful bars and grainy feel from the early scene, giving strong refreshments to the nostalgia. His newest project Dreddalicious kicks things up a notch again.
Starting out with track ‘’On Me’’ the tape abruptly begins, with producer Ryan C’s thumping 808s kicking down the door the moment you press play. The fast paced instrumental may be swift, but this is no issue for Freddie, with his agile bars swiftly constricting around the track, briskly spitting out ambitious tongue twisters. The malicious “And you know I got that toolie on me,” gradually fades out the track, leaving a threatening atmosphere in the air.
Following this comes “Go!” Featuring a swoozy, mellow guitar riff, the track intro almost sounds like an ad for a luxury holiday in the Bahamas, however a reclining kick back is the last thing you’ll find here. The maliciously hard 808 thumps in, flipping the tone on his head. “Watch my shotgun fucking go, while I’m going to the store,” Dredd raps, a sinister yet exhilarating oxymoron to the tranquil feel of the instrumental.
Next up is ‘‘My Hip’’. This track is jittery yet punchy, with a bouncy bassline served alongside fidgety percussion. Ryan C takes things down with this beat, giving it a much more minimalist texture. This works perfect in Freddie’s favor, allowing him to have room to breathe and switch his flow around throughout the tracks duration.
Fourth track “I Gotta” takes you to the clouds. Angelic notes glide around the mix, lifting you up with feelings of euphoria. The punchy 808 slides in, harmonizing with the melody steadily. Despite Dredd’s dark lyrics about the shovel in his basement, the track gives off a serene feel, making you want to lay back in your chair. Things switch up in manner with final track “Go 2 Bed.” Taking a smooth, tingling jazz sample combined with an upbeat drum break, the track is fast paced. Freddie’s lower pitch in his vocals are crunching, hitting through the mix with intense vigor.
Freddie Dredd is an artist who propels you into the realm of nostalgia, and ‘Dreddalicious’ is no exception. Listen to the project below.