If convolk’s movingly heartfelt music isn’t splashed all throughout your usual playlists, they are severely lacking. The Oakland, California native has been making huge waves over the past year. Numerous tracks have accumulated millions of plays, and his worldwide fan base is growing everyday. His newest album SWAN DIVE, is possibly his finest body of work yet.
Things start off with title track SWAN DIVE. Sliding guitar notes roll around the mix, sounding almost like an intro to an indie-folk song. The Skress produced instrumental is tailored perfectly with convolk’s vocals, with him harmonizing with the instrumental’s rich melodies. Emotive lyrics hit you in the stomach, the words reflecting on a heartfelt mental struggle.
Following this comes “Chased Away,” where convolk forecasts the future, with idealistic lines like “You gon’ be alone till I run the scene, then everybody wished they fucked with me.’’ The cloudy keys and punchy percussion from Producer Reaper match this energy, deepening the possible future ahead. The third track “Cat Scratch” again follows up this direction. A opaque yet enchanting riff strums in from Van beats, shortly followed by rumbling 808s. convolk’s versatility on the track is profound, switching between English and Russian words towards the end of the run time. His delivery is energetic and hostile; however this is just the warm up before the real storm.
The overall tone swiftly changes and intensifies severely, with the fourth track titled “You.Wont.Do.Shit.” Ditching the softer guitars and reposed melodies, Max Taylor opens up the instrumental with a belligerent sounding synth, setting a scene reminiscent of warning sirens flaring up. In shades reminiscent of Chester Bennington in the early Linkin Park days, convolk’s ferocious yells send shivers up your spine, punching through the mix with hazardous delivery.
Following this comes “Worlds We’ll Never Know.” Nostalgic, 8-bit sounding notes ease in, leaving you with a feeling of nostalgia. Producer JakkyBoi captures this sentimentality within a short melody, that convolk compound on with emotive bars, letting one sit back and look upon better days. The 6th track Albatross is next, and this is where any doubts against convolk are addressed. convolk releases poignant vocals, cast against the doubters. An Albatross is a bird often used metaphorically to describe a burden in somebody’s life. As convolk declares; “Old heads said mumble rap, I’m convolk, who the fuck are are you?” he is clearly speaking out against his Albatross.
“Please Don’t Shoot” follow, and in this track the vocalist recounts his fears for the future. Referencing Kurt Cobain, and living in pain during his younger days, convolk rides the melancholic atmosphere of the DJ Khaleds Son produced track, again switching to Russian lyrics further displaying his flexibly. 8th track “Falling Asleep” is mellow, yet slightly energetic. Producer DC-130 fades in with an acoustic melody, before dropping the track with a short bursted, bouncy 808 which convolk rides with high stamina, while letting you know who is up next. Hint; it’s convolk.
The final track “When Your Pizza Rolls R Done” is barbaric with a comedic slant, easily standing out from the rest of the project. Distorted, heavy metal riffs rip into the track, before a merciless array of percussion slaps through. Poking fun at the state of the current Soundcloud scene, convolk screams about your average High School troubles, before opting to scream ‘Bitch’ on repeat. Despite the track not having complete serious tendencies, this track does describe his rejection of new allies, perhaps foreshadowing a much more aggressive side to future tracks. If convolk isn’t under your current watch list, change that before he hits the big time. Listen below.