STL GLD - The New Normal

STL GLD
The New Normal
2019
Spotify

When Hip Hop becomes the mainstream what can it do to keep itself fresh and exciting? More and more the sound you hear everyday is Hip Hop. It's all over radio with even the biggest pop stars in the game trying to emulate and cash in on trap music's boom. The Boston based Hip Hop group STL GLD however aren't interested in trends or posturing, their music goes back to the days of raw truth telling in Hip Hop. This new album The New Normal feels classic and modern all at once. There is that strong sense of social responsibility and pointing out the ills of the world on this record. Speaking for the streets has always been Hip Hop's mantle but recently less and less have been made of one's street cred and more focus put on to the things you own. Hip Hop has gone through this transformation where fewer and fewer artists actually push social change. Sure you have Run the Jewels and others, but the driving forces has long since shifted. STL GLD is the clap back, the reaction from the people who saw Hip Hop stolen from the streets and hoping to rip it back. The thing STL GLD do right is they don't sound like everyone else. You aren't going to hear the standard trap drums or producer shoutouts on this album. Instead you get sample focused beats coupled with some real instrumentation to setup some stakes. Often self righteous music can feel bombastic and preachy but STL GLD have something interesting to say and the way it's said is compelling right from the beginning.

"Horrors" let's the scratching loose over some electronic beats, re-instilling that classic feel while still managing to keep the music up to date. "Done" is the track that lays it all out, and tries to come to terms with all the ills of the world. The rapper shows up to a bar and sits, ponders and drinks until the pain goes away. Now, it's not all old school perfection here there are a few moments that feel a bit... odd. There are times that the band slide into some 21 Pilots styles that feel a little too rap rock for anyone. Their songs can also either go on forever or be frustratingly short. Their sense of song timing is somewhat nebulous, which can lead to some wonderful moments like the end of "Goin Shine" that suddenly goes from a boisterous number to an almost spiritual experience. STL GLD have a message, I just don't think they have managed to get it fully formed just yet. There are so many ideas floating around on this album that they don't manage to coalesce and become a major force. The bones are all there though and STL GLD are on to something real here.

7.6 out of 10