#noztalgia

by: SLIM HALPERT

Every music fan wants to feel like their favorite artists are connected to their music.  No matter how outlandish an artist might dress or how intense an artist’s persona might be, the fans want to feel like that artist truly cares about the music they make.  They want to know that its personal.  Sometimes you have to strip down the persona and let the world get a glimpse of the person holding the paintbrush and creating the art.  For Mic Myers that meant peeling back the mask a little.  He has undoubtedly crafted a persona that parlays fear into fandom but that in itself can be a double-edged machete.  It can leave an ever widening gap between the art and the artist, causing the fans to lose touch with the person behind the music.  When this happens the artist must find a way to reconnect with their fans.  There is no better way to do that than to use the most emotionally powerful instrumental you can find, host a hybrid public confessional and airing of grievances, and let the person behind the art speak.

The best part of this song might have to be the instrumental, produced by the massively talented and accomplished Tony Choc, and could've thrown most artists off their game a bit due to the pressure of such a beautifully crafted piece of music looming over them.  Mic Myers does better than expected and in a way that might surprise you.  No hook or no big name feature, just Mic Myers peeling back his mask and letting Adam connect with the listeners.  “Grip the wheel tight, see the cracks in the knuckles”, this one line sums up so much of what this song is about.  The drive to keep going brings with it battle scars for those that keep their hands firm on the wheel and refuse to relinquish control or deviate off course.  The bars are delivered with a Mic Myers flow and intensity but it feels like a story from Adam, the man behind the mask.  The accompanying video is this exact thought, only visualized to perfection.  Simple lighting, a man and a mic, and no crazy edits or special effects.  It embraces the vulnerability of simplicity and honesty while capturing the strength in being so exposed.

Being a well rounded artist means being able to be vulnerable even if your art is crafted around a demonic entity or some murderous maniac.  Being vulnerable doesn't always mean being weak.  It takes a lot of courage to be honest and honesty often leaves you vulnerable.  Adam might've needed Mic Myers to be able to say the things he wouldn't but now its starting to feel like maybe Mic Myers needs Adam to say the things he couldn't.  Mic Myers let Adam out from behind the mask a little this time.  Lets see if he does again, cause Adam has a lot to say.

by: SLIM HALPERT

Today more than ever a strong brand is necessary to stand out amongst your peers.  You need an ever present influence in your culture to be considered a strong brand as well as having a message that is clear and connects with your audience.  Noztalgia has built just such a name for themselves and to celebrate their growth, as well as promote their message of musical progress and diversity, they have released Vol. 1, a compilation of songs recorded at Deep Roots Studios in Tempe, AZ and features artists they have personally worked with.  Just taking one look at the cover, with musical influences cascading in a collage of genius, lets you know its going to have a lot to offer.  The entire project feels exactly like that message comes full circle with an eclectic array of songs highlighting an album that truly has something for everyone.  

The intro, “Overcast” is a track feat. DJ/Producer Tony Choc and it is the perfect lead-in to the rest of the albums diverse sound.  Tony Choc uses a plethora of samples and beats to create a sound board of emotional poignant snippets that interact flawlessly and end in a way that leads perfectly into “Ice” feat. Dirty K.  This track is highlighted by the keys on the beat and the easy going flow displayed by Dirty K and could fit into most Sunday driving playlists.  The third track, “Night Rider” feat. A-Dub da Prodigy takes the chilled out vibe laid out by the previous track and slightly ramps up the intensity while pulling back on the delivery and letting the words resonate with the beat and the listener.  The Sunday playlisting for this one is better for a night drive.  Sossee & St. Pierre feature on the next track “Thanos”.  This track hits the sweet spot for all the nerdy hip-hop fans but also delivers on the lyrical ability and shouldn't be taken lightly amongst old hip-hop heads.  Kirsin delivers the next track “Street Lights” which feels like a mosh pit of influences from Yelawolf to Outkast.  It gives “Night Rider” competition for the second best song on the entire album after the next track, “Foreign” feat. Seven Trill.   This song shows off the albums best instrumental, it plays like a Kevin Gates club banger but is delivered with more vocal control and a intently Chicano flair which helps it carve its own path.

“You Already Know” feat. Lexx is a classic R&B track in the vein of Aaliyah or Toni Braxton and delivers on the feels.  Lexx shows vulnerability not expected on a track from a compilation album.  The next track “Reaper” featuring Mic Myers showcases the best bars on the album by far.  The delivery is polished yet ruthless and leaves nothing up in the air when it comes to how he feels about his work and the people associated with Noztalgia.  The intensity gets brought back down with “Most” feat. Dvnci.  The creativity in the song writing is the key to this songs appeal.  Dvnci can use his flow in multiple ways and does so to great effect on the hook here stating the most he would do to win a girl over.  Keeping with the vibes of relationships but heading to a slightly different end of the spectrum, the next track “Insense” feat. Hermez feels like a Weeknd meets Genuine track and celebrates the physical synchronicity two people can share.  The final track, “Change” feat. Zenny Phantom, London & Merlyn, might be the most radio friendly and marketable song on the album.  The topic is universal, the production is A+ but it also has that mainstream appeal that comes from the balance of female and male vocals. 

The order of the tracks on a project is tricky enough for anyone but even more daunting for the curator of a compilation album.  Things don't always transition well or sometimes don't fit it at all with compilation albums.  The only gripe one might have could be with the order the tracks are in but the overall tone musically links everything and never makes any song truly feel out of place.  In life all we really have are two things; our word and what we do with it.  Noztalgia has gathered the words of many artists and what they have done is create a singular yet collective voice that echoes the themes of this album and what they are all about, progress and diversity.  Their roots are deep and they excel at what they do, Noztalgia is here to stay.  

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO “Vol. 1″