While many believe to this day that the best era of SoundCloud is far behind and gone, they continue to lack the necessary ability to see artist’s progression. Where SoundCloud continues to be a laughing stock throughout pockets of the internet, real artistry has been developed well beyond acts that are played on the radio and signed to major labels. One artist that has recently began shining in the underground is none other than shinigami. shinigami, an artist known for his raw emotional melodies and lullaby type beats, has just dropped his third full length project.
The album, i will never be a memory, is a culmination of heart throbbing, beautiful moments. While shinigami has yet to sign to a major music conglomerate, he has honed together a sound crisp for a yet to come platinum certification. The album radiates a sense of loss and love stemming from the core of what shinigami has become known for. While the ceiling for shinigami has yet to be broken, the album offers some of his best and most diverse qualities to date.
What makes this album even more outstanding is the fact that there were only four producers on the tape, and only two features. While the previous albums of shinigami were mostly all produced and handled by shinigami himself, the sonics of the album were mainly cultivated together by renowned SoundCloud producer 4evr. The power that comes from 4ever’s production paired with shinigami is rivating and allows shinigami to focus in on his ever poetic lyrics. While 4evr produced on ten of the thirteen tracks on the album, shinigami also included his own tidbits of production as well as joining together with Charlie Shuffler, kellbender and bloodworth.
Through this album, shinigami offers an inside perspective on how a love conflicted individual must internally deal with. A grand lyricist, shinigami provides excellent depth inside of himself, fleshing out his own battles with mental health and exasperated dread. The intro “my friends are my power!” intertwines in game dialogue from Kingdom Hearts that winds down with shinigami’s peaceful production.
“a place where i belong” [feat. supachefm!] is the first full length track from the album, and encompasses the qualities of the newly polished shinigami presented throughout i will never be a memory. Even though supachefm’s guest verse is a shining highlight of the song, shinigami arguably offers the most grief induced catchy chorus of his career:
“Far beyond the walls
I’m far beyond the walls
In a place where I belong
Leave the ashes in the doorway
Hang me up beneath the door frame
You can’t escape the fate
Lying in the pouring rain
But I’m shining through the shadows
Find me hiding from the gallows, aye”
The track “i don’t need ur luv” could be described as a dreamy lullaby melodic experience, providing minimalistic drums and room enough for the consumer to enjoy the atmosphere shinigami provides with his vocals. The song in itself depicts how shinigami has moved on from a far gone lover, conflicted about how to move on and even contemplating death.
Later on, “see u in my dreams” [feat. guccihighwaters] brings an 808 induced lullaby. shinigami provides listeners with an angsty ballad loudly professing how he can not simply move forward from his love. While a high pitched shinigami echoes throughout the pre chorus about how the rainy days won’t fade away, guccihighwaters gleams in the final moments of the song whispering:
“I just need a place to breathe
It’s only love if it’s you and me
The walls protect us, girl, it’s cold outside”
The title track “i will never be a memory” is a highlight from the sudden change in tone on the album. Boastful and robust in trap qualities, shinigami talks his talk about how he now has a hard time deciding on what designers outfits to wear in order to match his Raft Simmons. He discusses how he no longer can mess with anyone other than his own inner circle, who are now blowing up as high as he is.
shinigami has proven himself to be an unstoppable force in the newly created emo wave of the late 2010s. Already receiving co-signs from artists such as nothing, nowhere. provides further conclusion that shinigami is on the pathway to success.
Listen to i will never be a memory in full down below, and catch shinigami on tour this Spring with nothing, nowhere. Lil Lotus and JayVee in a city near you.