In February, we had our first brush with Chicago emcee Ibn Inglor and his grim GawdsSpeed project, a meditation on a hometown torn asunder by the oppressive, persistent promise of homicide. Trafficking in a sort of atmospheric trap that tweaked the city’s fixation on drill music, Ibn crafted a sound that felt of its origins and simultaneously separate, highlighting the particular darkness of its author.
Seven months later, NEW WAVE sees Ibn taking a step beyond, blowing the beats out to more difficult, industrial proportions, trading melancholic observation for personal rage aimed at relationships, rappers, societal systems, and, inevitably, the limitations of his native city. Standouts like “BLACK PRINT / JUSTICE” and “FIRE,” featuring an excellent appearance by Drea of Pyyramids, suggest ambition beyond the confines of the Windy City.
Stream NEW WAVE below and download it here.
(Complex)
