Briefcvse – ‘Low Quality Demo’s’ [MIXTAPE]

By: Shamus Hill

Briefcvse is here to remind us all that we can still remain productive while flattening the curve, as the Jamaica Plain artist unveils his latest body of work — Low Quality Demo’s.

Sitting at roughly 10 minutes in length, Low Quality Demo’s is a collection of experimental, lo-fi tracks that Briefcvse made over the course of a week while stuck at home. Despite what the title of this project might suggest, this mixtape is actually some of the 2020 member’s most exceptional work to date. Equipped with free-flowing storytelling and poised production, a listen through Low Quality Demo’s feels like a breath of fresh air.

“Quarantine”, which features Massachusetts’ Jerome B and Premo Dee, is the perfect encapsulation of what life has been like for many of us during this period of uncertainty. An additional standout off of Low Quality Demo’s is “Play Nice”, which does a great job at highlighting Briefcvse’s high caliber of skill with respect to both rapping and producing. In my personal opinion, this project is most impactful when listened to in its entirety, so I’m thrilled that Briefcvse uploaded the uninterrupted version of the mixtape on his SoundCloud.

Listen to Low Quality Demo’s below:

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Young Seuss – “Reflections”

By: Seamus Fay

Making it through 2018 was no easy task. We’ve all experienced different successes, failures, triumphs, and struggles, but the one universal lesson should be that reflection is a must. Whether 2018 was the best year of your life or the worst, understanding how to reflect and learn from your experiences is vital toward having a prosperous 2019. Here to master this skill is Graduation Music favorite Young Seuss with his brand new project, Reflections.

As written in the tape’s description on SoundCloud, Seuss notes the genesis of Reflections as the following:

I fell in love, and I fucked it up. But it found its way back. Travel with me through my many emotions as I show you the reflections of my inner demons, the battles they carry, and the individualistic self-representation of “god” that lives within me.

As one might infer from this description, 2018 has been a year of self-discovery for Seuss. With his latest project, he unravels and breaks down the things he’s failed at as well as the things he’s found hope in, and as a result, we receive the rising talent’s most authentic, heart-led project to date. Reflections is impulsive and emotional in the truest of ways, and if not anything else, it should allow us all the opportunity to reflect on our own version of 2018.

Stream this project below and be sure to show some love to one of Boston’s most promising budding talents!

Donald Grunge – “CowboyTalk”

By: Seamus Fay

From “Guitar Grunge” back in July to “Snake In My Boot” last month and most recently, “Henny Sippa“, 2018 has been a monumental year for Donald Grunge. One release after another, he’s been honing in on his craft, and as a result, we’ve seen some of his most creatively ambitious releases to date in recent months. Needless to say, Grunge is on a win streak right now, and today, he takes all of this energy and puts it toward the release of his long-awaited, highly-anticipated new project, CowboyTalk.

Taking on a Western theme, this tape is eccentric from the cover art all the way to the final seconds of its last song. Grunge pours his heart out into 7 highly-passionate, energetic cuts, leaving it all on the court as he puts forth a noticeably refined version of the “on my own terms” artistry that we’ve grown to love over the years. With production at the hands of local talents including Mike Hector, David Walker, JORD4NEVERDIED, Chris Tophr, Jonny Doobs, Maka, and Humbeats, CowboyTalk picked on a dream team of names to make up its roster, and without a doubt, it paid off. Donald Grunge is here, and he’s here to stay.

StreamCowboyTalk at the link provided below:

Artwork by @gregisonfire

JGONTHEKEYS – ‘PLANET JG!’ [Mixtape]

By: Seamus Fay

Playing a crucial role behind the boards and bringing so many artists’ sounds to life, JGONTHEKEYS is, and has been for some time now, an essential figure in the development of Boston’s music scene. His work boasts collaborations between a number of the city’s finest talents, and always known to snap on any project he embarks on, JG is here to bring this prowess full circle today with a compilation tape, PLANET JG!. As noted by the title, this project brings names including Connis, Giuseppe Love, Donald Grunge, Pistola, SK85!, Trismuh, DK, BROKECH1C, and Pe$o Boii into an entirely new world of sound and sonic direction, all of which is orchestrated at the skillful hands of JGONTHEKEYS.

8 tracks long and allowing for introductions to so many of Massachusetts’ best-kept secrets, JG’s latest marks a defining moment of community for Boston’s music scene, and it surely presents the city’s talent in the best light possible. By taking matters into his own hands, this hitmaking producer is working toward the progression and embracement of local talent one heater at a time, tightening up the loose ends and maximizing the potential of every artist he works with. Needless to say, PLANET JG! is something special; beyond himself, he really did his thing in bringing up those around him with this one, and for that, we have to appreciate his success.

Stream the new project at the link below!

Additional Production by @prodchristophr @KorHefBeatz @lilzooooom

Jack Karowak – ‘Treehouse Audio’ [Mixtape]

By: Seamus Fay

The release of an artist’s debut project is generally a defining moment in their career. It’s a culmination of potential, past experience, a chase for the top, true-to-self personality, and every other element that makes up one’s individuality, but more than anything, it’s a moment to exhibit what has come from restless hard work and the discovery of one’s artistic identity. Here to provide one of the best debuts out of MA that we’ve heard in a long time is Graduation Music favorite, Jack Karowak, with Treehouse Audio.

If there’s anyone that embodies the concepts of growth and development as an artist, then it has to be this talent right here. There was a time when I knew of Karowak’s music but never heard that one song that really hooked me in. Needless to say, Karowak never stopped working, and as a result, he’s now making the best music of his career, working toward his own expectations rather than anyone else’s.

This is Jack Karowak’s moment to show the world who he is, and by the sounds of it, he doesn’t waste a second trying to be anything he’s not.

With this, when listening to Treehouse Audio, you can tell that it’s the kind of project that came directly from the MA representative’s heart. It’s 100% what he wanted to make, and with this level of authenticity at the forefront of the release, it marks a refreshing experience for the listener to hear such liveliness in Karowak’s lyrics, vocals, instrumentals, etc.

I could go on about this project all day long, but in all honesty, the music speaks for itself, in this case. Just know that Jack Karowak is a name you’re going to be seeing all over the place quite soon, so get hip early and stream his debut project, Treehouse Audio, at the link below. This is an important moment not only for Karowak, but for the entire MA music community.

Production via David Walker, Triple Beam Brad
Features from Thalles Nunes, Notebook P

WHYTRI – ‘A Bad Porno’ [EP]

By: Seamus Fay

As you may remember, just a few weeks back, Graduation Music caught up with our old friend, WHYTRI, and spoke all about the months leading up to the release of his brand new project, A Bad Porno (which you can read here). Today, the day has finally come where we receive the highly-anticipated project, and personally, I couldn’t be more excited. WHYTRI shows us his most cohesive sense of self to date, using just 5 tracks to communicate worlds of growth and improvement that tighten up any and all loose ends from his past offerings.

That said, the reason that this tape seems to work so well is due to the change of energy that TRI provides. As always, his verses are immensely captivating as he screams and jumps all over the beat, but this time around, it’s easier to recognize the end goal that he hopes to reach with each song. The ideas and verses build on top of one another, only complemented by the passionate touch of charisma that the MA native is able to bring to the table so consistently.

That said, A Bad Porno is the kind of project that demands to be heard, so be sure to click play at the link below and pay attention to an artist who we’ll certainly be seeing more of in the near future. WHYTRI is on a promising path right now, and by aiming to please no one but himself, he’s actually making the best music of his career. Everything stems off of authenticity.

Production via C-SPRING, BEATO, KREW$

Jonesy – ‘Upside’ [Mixtape]

By: Seamus Fay

In my personal opinion, the best music is that with the most soul. An absence of soul can easily deflate the ability of a song to impact a given listener, and the worst part is that it’s remarkably easy to tell when an artist isn’t fully behind the message they’re conveying. Today, marking a project with ample amounts of soul and captivating personality, New Haven native Jonesy is here to bless our pages with a brand new tape entitled Upside. 8 tracks long, this is just the release that we needed from the rising talent in order to capitalize on the immense potential that we’ve heard from him in the past, and naturally so, it takes hold as his most refined offering to date.

That said, upon my first few listens of the tape, the main aspect of artistry that I enjoyed was Jonesy’s monumental presence when on the mic. His figure stands tall against a backdrop of hard-hitting instrumentals, one after another, and by approaching each beat with an equal level of energy, there doesn’t exist a point on Upside that fails to turn your head or yield some sort of emotional reaction. Jonesy is sure to keep things close and personal here, communicating personal lows and highs in a way that can feel applicable to any listener, regardless of their identity.

That said, this one is perfect to keep on repeat all weekend long, so be sure show some love and click play at the link provided below!

DK – ‘Not There Yet’ [Album]

By: Seamus Fay

Quite frequently, while scrolling through either my SoundCloud feed or my Twitter feed, I’ll stumble upon a brand new gem of an artist that I had never heard before. Even more often, this gem comes across my screen thanks to @gregisonfire. The latest of these finds comes in the form of an artist named DK and his brand new album, Not There Yet. Poised with the ability to illustrate life and emotion in their most undiluted senses, the Western Mass native clearly has the appeal of potential on his side, and by staying true to himself on his latest full-length offering, this upside shines through.

That said, hence the title, Not There Yet details a personal journey for DK. He uses a backdrop of energetic hip-hop production and soulful vocals to translate his life into relatable music, doing so in a way that will turn your head and keep you locked into each and every song. And the best part of it all — this is the kind of project where you hear something new everytime you listen. After my listen, I thought I had DK and his style all figured out, but with each successive listen since, I’ve learned that the rising talent has many more layers to offer.

That said, I’ll just let the music speak for itself. Check out Not There Yet at the link provided below:

Mike Fellow – ‘Hot Wings’ [EP]

By: Seamus Fay

Here at Graduation Music, we’ve been covering new music from an artist by the name of YOUNGFACE for quite some time now. Throughout all of these posts and a few killer guest spots, I was then put onto an artist called Mike Fellow — an act who, since I first heard him alongside YOUNGFACE, has turned into an intriguing young talent and someone who is definitely in the position to do some big things in the near future. That said, today, Fellow branches outside of the guest verses and comes through with his own entree: an incredible, 6-track tape entitled Hot Wings produced by Sean Waters and Max Baer.

Quite frankly, I knew that Mike Fellow was developing a wonderfully consistent sound, but I had no idea that we ready to make something as impressive as this project. Each song is both crisp and confident, and considering the way that it flows together as such a full, cohesive idea of a tape is noteworthy in and of itself. That said, Fellow finds himself exploring candid emotion and refreshing ambition with this tape, making sure to leave his own charismatic mark on the music as it arrives.

All I can say is don’t sleep, because Hot Wings shows that he’s ready and gunning for the top. Click play at the link below:

Seuss – ‘Yung Bradlee’

By: Seamus Fay

When the name Seuss is mentioned, a few words come to mind: energetic, promising, talented, and most of all, authentic. He is unapologetically himself in every sense of the phrase, and for that, it comes as no surprise that Seuss has grown into an unbelievably talented artist seemingly right before our eyes. One single after another, it has been both an honor and a privilege to write about the rising talent’s music, and today, he brings these proud moments full circle with a spirited debut project, Yung Bradlee.

Described as a “fractal perspective on reality manifested by Young Seuss“, this 5-track offering takes us through a deep exploration of the mind behind so many wonderful moments and songs. Suess, despite his young age, has already established a reputation as a Boston legend in many ways, and he makes sure to bring this, as well as his animated personality, to fruition throughout each song featured on the tape. With only one production credit from Twayne The Kidd and the rest self-produced, all 5 cuts at hand are bangers in their own regards, so much so to the point where Seuss’ undiluted honesty clashes against the hard-nosed production in ways that spark the creation of numerous potential hits.

The momentum is clearly moving in favor of Boston’s own, so be sure to show some love and check out Yung Bradlee at the link provided below:

TheWorldBirdie – ‘ArtX’ [Mixtape]

By: Seamus Fay

TheWorldBirdie is one of the newer artists to make his debut on Graduation Music, but nevertheless, back by a strong work ethic and consistent levels of both quality and output, you will certainly be seeing his name in headlines in the future. Today, we take a step back a few weeks and touch on TheWorldBirdie’s latest offering — a mixtape entitled ARTx. After we first wrote about his music with the music video for the tape’s intro, listeners rapidly became anticipated for the full entree, and finally, it has arrived.

11 tracks long, this collection of sounds brings us to see the full scope of what TheWorldBirdie is capable of doing. He remains ambitious in his stylistic ventures while staying grounded in the talent that brought him to where he is today, and by maintaining a balance of both, he gracefully exhibits artistic growth to an emphatic degree. Additionally, just to top things off, we here some standout features from names including Lil Hannah, Just Dons, Pope, Ali G, John Murphy, Lil Dennis, Marc G, Greg G, and last but not least, Dad. That said, ARTx is the kind of project that speaks for itself. It’s honest, introspective, vivid, and everything else that one might look for.

Get hip to TheWorldBirdie and click play on his latest at the link below:

Gin Mason & CHI – ‘Codename: Girls Next Door’ [Pres. SuperSmashBroz]

By: Seamus Fay

Last summer, the SuperSmashBroz blessed the world with a magnificent, Massachusetts-bred compilation mixtape, Family Cookout. This summer, further ensuring that Boston has its vibes right, the SmashBroz are back once again to bring new talent to the spotlight in the form of Codename: Girls Next Door — a highly-anticipated collabroative effort from none other than Gin Mason and CHI. After receiving the first single from the project, “Girls Night“, just a few weeks back, I had a hunch that this project would be something special, but quite honestly, it exceeded any expectations I could have set for such a highly-talented duo.

Not only do Mason and CHI show us their most refined artistic selves on the final product for this one, but they also bring an entirely new wave of addictive energy to the table — just what we needed to end this summer on a bright note. Alongside only one feature from Michael Christmas and production credits from LDG, Maka, Tee-WaTT, the SuperSmashBroz, and KorHef, the cohesive sound and endless supply of infectious rhythms provide for 6 tracks of transportive music at the core of the project. That being said, Gin Mason and CHI are two of Massachusetts’ most talented rising talents, and it’s both a pleasure and privilege to watch them continue on their rises to the top.

Listen to Codename: Girls Next Door at the link below and thank the SuperSmashBroz for the alley-oop on this one!