Levi Watson Is a Real-Life Synth-Lord in ‘Daydreaming as The World Ends’
Hip-Hop is in a great place right now. The barriers of entry have been taken off their hinges and burned to a crisp, which means great things for eclectic artists like Levi Watson. The Atlanta-born, Tokyo-resident implements his love for jazz fusion to create a synth-heavy spaced-out brand of hip-hop on his latest endeavor, a six-track project titled, Daydreaming as The World Ends.
The project begins with its spacey opener “Dream Eater.” Bass-singed synths ride in tandem with Watson’s in-your-face cadence, chronicling his growth as a man and artist, “I remember tall-tees and Jabo jeans/ before CDs lost steam and became streams.” It is halfway through this introductory record that we are introduced into Watson’s score-like arrangements that effectively alters the sonic landscape of the record, matching the reality questioning subject matter as it comes to a synth-layered close.
The electrified decrescendo of “Dream Eater” builds tension that is ultimately released on the glittery opening of the project’s following record, “Angels 1.5.” Contrasting the previous record’s edge, Watson reels in the intensity, harnessing laid-back confidence as he boasts, “I’ve been going through changes.” Watson constructs this walk-down-memory-lane by using a barrage of nostalgia-inducing references like Nintendo, Hey Al, and Jack Sparrow. The thoughtful implementation of these clever similes acts as buzz words for any 90’s baby, simultaneously invoking feelings of nostalgia and the jarring realization of time’s hasty pace.
The halfway mark of the six-track project is embodied by the back-to-basics nature of “At World’s End.” Concocting a more stripped-down production for his halfway point, Watson allows his fondness for synths to be used more as a complementary piece than a focal one. The reeled-in style of production grants Watson the ability to act as the song’s sermon, dipping and diving through airy production while addressing his reserve towards commitment, fleeting moments in life, and the necessary spontaneity required to keep things stimulating.
Elements of the space-age voyage that we embarked on at the start of the project find themselves at the forefront once again with “VENUS ENVY.” Trekking through a synth-dominated frontier, Watson flexes his ability as both a singer and rapper. His electronically manipulated vocals float through the euphoric production, embodying the blissful feelings of love’s hold. There’s no question as to why this track acted as the project’s single, released a few days before the six-track debut.
The softer sentiments put forth on the previous record follow the project towards its close on “The Life Unknown.” An underwater guitar progression, more commonly found in the indie-pop realm, welcomes you into this lyrically profound performance. Watson’s unfiltered conscious-like flow brings to life his psychedelic subject matter comprised of spiritual alien abductions and the conversations between himself and his personally requested genome clone. Watson’s exhibition in transparency is riveting, baring all thoughts of doubt, uncertainty, and loneliness.
Watson’s newly released project comes to a powerful close with the bassline rumbling grit of “Prograde.” Reasserting his will, Watson uses the booming closer to call into question how real love is nowadays, is Mercury’s retrograde really the problem? There is an incredible potency to this record, filled with confidence-oozing raps and equally captivating production. There’s no doubt Watson looked to end his project with a bang.
In spite of its brief length, Daydreaming as The World Ends is a testament to Watson’s ability to create outside the boundaries of hip-hop while remaining firmly planted in its founding doctrine. The impressive nature of this rising artist’s creativity becomes even more jaw-dropping when taking into account that Watson handled the production, arrangements, and engineering all himself. This is the best time to latch onto a new artist, at the precipice of their start. Watson is undoubtedly the synth-lord we’ve been waiting for and one who is primed to do some pretty spectacular things.
Listen to Daydreaming as The World Ends below:
