Prolific underground New Jersey rapper Ransom has worked with plenty of talented producers before, but MadeinTYO might be the most interesting one of them all. While the latter was never a massive mainstream figure, the Honolulu, Hawaii born was closer to that mark than Ransom has ever been. The Atlanta based MC is known for breaking into stardom with songs like "Uber Everywhere", "Skateboard P", and "I Want". All of these are far cries from the grittiness of the East Coast underground scene. So, when this surprise EP, SMOKE & MIRRORS, was announced just a couple of days ago, seeing MadeinTYO was a surprise. For those who have been following Ransom, you know that this is the second project for him this year. Beforehand, him and Harry Fraud teamed up for Lavish Misery.
That EP is longer than SMOKE & MIRRORS by five songs, so there is already a smaller margin for error on that factor alone. However, Ransom and MadeinTYO make the most of the 8:53 they share. The opening "SMOKING MIRRORS" is a smooth and chill introduction, with a peaceful guitar loop being the track's backbone. Narratively, Ransom looks back at his past decisions in his life that have shaped him. "ANTEBELLUM" with Che Noir is a soulful cut about the give and take in relationships with her and Ransom rapping from their gender perspectives. To close things out is "HUMAN NATURE", which arguably is MadeinTYO's best beat here. Twinkling piano melodies along with dreamy and soft tones are an incredible marriage on this introspective cut. Overall, this is a terrific short body of work with incredible replay value.
SMOKE & MIRRORS- Ransom & MadeinTYO
SMOKE & MIRRORS Tracklist:
- SMOKING MIRRORS
- ANTEBELLUM (feat. Che Noir)
- HUMAN NATURE (feat. J.Arrr)