Eric King, Eric King (EP) | Album Review 💿

Indie rapper Eric King brings something different to the table on his 4-song, self-titled EP. The artist & effort are filled with potential.

Mainstream artists may earn the most attention, but often times indie artists bring more innovation.  Mainstream rap, like many mainstream genres of music, possesses the predictable ‘bag of tricks.’  Underground, alternative, and indie rap styles bring different things to the table, constantly pushing the music forward.  Boston, Massachusetts indie rapper Eric King does just that on his incredibly ambitious EP, Eric King. Minimally, the EP showcases a musically adventurous newcomer.

“The Greatest”

On opener ✓ “The Greatest,” confidence isn’t an issue for the rapper. Ultimately, his confidence is “through the roof.” The record opens bombastically with blaring synth horns and jarring, rattling kick drum.  Safe to say, the bass is real on “The Greatest.”  From the jump, he doesn’t play around, spitting mad game.  The production only furthers inspiration for King.  The raw nature is something that characterizes the sound of the EP as a whole. The ending seems a bit prolonged, but to an extent, this adds to the uniqueness of the track and effort.

“Boston City Dreams” is dark, malicious, and unsettling to the nth degree.  The synths come at you with ferocity, with underlying drums solidifying the punch on the bottom.  After erecting a bizarre, hellish experience, King continues to experiment.  This experimentation makes the accessibility of the song suffer somewhat. Nonetheless, his ambitiousness continues to be superb. Take one listen to “Boston City Dreams,” and it’s difficult to find anything that sounds like it. Much like the unexpected, extended ending of “The Greatest,” “Boston City Dreams” keeps the listener on the edge of their seat, trying to figure out his game plan. 

“Trillionaire” brings back familiarity after “Boston City Dreams” concluded more experimentally.  Once more, horns blare, the beat goes hard, while King goes H.A.M.  “Trillionaire” doesn’t completely stick to the script, but the switch-up isn’t quite as far-fetched as “Boston City Dreams.” King spits, sings, and flexes in full-on beast mode. He says it best himself: “When I was broke, bad bitches never talked to me.” Sigh.

“Lift Me Out of the Dark and Into the Light”

✓ “Lift Me Out of the Dark and Into the Light” concludes the EP epically.  Like the preceding cuts, “Lift Me Out of the Dark and Into the Light” possesses a raw quality. The hook, in particular, stands out, featuring layered pitch-shifted vocals the exemplify the biting quality of the song and EP itself.  This is a polarizing production choice.  Some will love the layered, out-of-tune vocals, while others will be much more skeptical.  Ultimately, there is middle-ground between both extremes. King roars on the verses, spitting with authenticity and honestly. The rapping is the best attribute of the closer.

Final Thoughts 

Eric King is special, bringing something different to hip-hop altogether.  Likewise, Eric King, is a trip – an incredibly unique one at that! What makes the EP special is the fact that it takes a couple of listens to completely sink in.  King does something that mainstream rap often fails to do, stretching the ears.  The EP requires more of the listener with its experimental approaches, but that’s not a bad thing in the least.  Ultimately, this is an artist and EP chocked full of potential.  Perfect? Nah, but plenty of room for possibilities in the future.

✓ Gems: “The Greatest” & “Lift Me Out of the Dark and Into the Light”

Eric King • Eric King • Release: 1.25.17

Photo Credit: Eric King