Lil Darkie is an upcoming artist who’s on an onslaught against everybody. His latest project Swamp Drained demonstrates what sets him apart from the pack.
The instrumentation on first 3 tracks from frequent producer Wendigo set the tone for what Lil Darkie is truly all about. Taking a minimal approach on title track Swamp Drained, the project kicks off with a crunching bassline to rumble walls, punching through the airy atmosphere. Wendigo’s signature bit-crushed clap hold the pace, laying out the perfect bed for Darkie to flow over. The project’s pace takes a sudden turn into disjointed sounds with second track “Bad Kid.” Starting out with a skittish wobble, the melody bounces off the walls, impossible to predict. Despite this, Darkie surfs the storms of audio with ease, ducking and diving through the perilous array of 808s.
In fourth track “I Eat Fungi,” the pace is brought back to a bouncing lope. Instrumentally, the song has a stripped back, minimal feel to it. Consisting of a sinister pad sliding back and forth beneath a brisk drum pattern, the Solsa produced beat leaves space for Darkie to experiment with his flow. The vocalist’s animated “I eat fungi bitch, will rot in a ditch” hook ricochets back and forth against the confines of the instrumental, testing the sonic elasticity of the track.
Most are familiar with at least a few artists that have built a career around mimicking a more original artist, and Darkie challenges this concern head on with “Year of the Cap.” From introducing eccentrically erratic flows of his own, to mocking the over saturation of the music scene, the vocalist comes for the necks of everyone approaching rap production in the same formulaic fashion, all while exemplifying what sets him apart.
Another blatant issue in the current rap scene is the repetition in beats, whether it be reusing samples or the reusing the instrumental itself. Producer Lil Cubensis defies this with his production on sixth track “Knee Deep In Alcohol.” The left-field, obscure sounds of this track are difficult to describe. The best way to approximate this production, is if one were to drop an old Gameboy into a bath, and somehow manage to manipulate the sounds of the damaged circuitry into the most charismatic beat in the process. Despite the experimental and unpredictable nature, Darkie weaves in and out the instrumental, flicking through a repertoire of flows, keeping a fresh sound throughout.
The distorted, crunchy 808s take a backseat with follow up track “I Once Was…” Donning much softer yet equally malevolent melodies from Heal, this track gives some breathing space amongst the chaos, whilst keeping a dark energy running in the background. This is a welcome change of pace, but still aptly carries the sometimes sinister energy presented by Lil Darkie.
Aggressive instrumentation and bloodthirsty yells may be the most exemplary tools used by Lil Darkie, but they’re not the only thing the artist does well. This is proved by lengthy penultimate track “Darkie Still Cannot Rap,” which kicks back to 90’s hip hop production style and sound. Separated into 3 segments, each consisting of new beat from a different producer, the track constitutes the nostalgia of the “boom-bap days,” which Darkie matches up with flawlessly.
Ultimately, SWAMP DRAINED is a dense project that displays the playfulness and diverse range of sounds Lil Darkie is adept at wielding. Check the full project below.